


I Wanna Try

by cheshireree (shyfoxes)



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Avatar & Benders Setting, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Neighbors, Crossdressing, First Kiss, Genderbending, KenHina Week, KenHina Week 2014, Kenma's Grandparents, M/M, Mermaids, Rule 63, Supernatural Elements, Team Karasuno - Freeform, Team Nekoma - Freeform, Tengu
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-19
Updated: 2018-02-19
Packaged: 2019-03-21 02:40:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 23,814
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13731393
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shyfoxes/pseuds/cheshireree
Summary: “Shouyou?” Kenma says, breathless.“I,” Hinata says, “Really like you!”Kenma presses his forehead to the cool bars and lets himself smile freely. When he peeks back up at Hinata, he’s leaning towards him again. Kenma runs his thumb over Hinata’s lower lip, mustering up his courage.“I really like you, too,” Kenma says. “Can you, ah, do that again?”Shouyou dives right in.-A collection of KenHina fics.





	1. Personal Fireplace

**Author's Note:**

> titled after the Sistar song "I Wanna (해볼래)".
> 
> A collection of KenHina fics I've done :> including KenHina Week 2014. Two fics I had posted previously are featured in here too because I'm unsure i I should just delete them since they're here or keep them there for those who bookmarked :I.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shouyou is a warmth Kenma never wants to let go of.

It takes the course of at least two visits from Hinata for Kenma to tell him that it’d be fine if they shared his bed from then on while tapping away at his game. Hinata jumps to his feet, cheeks bright and flushed, and a smile stretching across his whole face.  

“Are you sure?” Hinata says.

Kenma spares him a quick glance with a shrug. “I don’t see why not.”

 

When Hinata visits him again, he drops his overnight bag in the designated area and fidgets in the middle of Kenma’s room, and staring at the bed. Kenma nudges him with his shoulder and pushes one of his game controllers into Hinata’s hands as Hinata flops down next to him in front of the little TV in the room. They play until Hinata slumps against Kenma’s shoulder barely able to keep his eyes open, and the controller slips from his hands into his lap. Kenma briefly rests his cheek to the top of Hinata’s head, wondering where Hinata gets most of his energy from.  He nudges Hinata with his shoulder again, a gentle jostle that makes Hinata blink quickly to try and stay awake.

“Shouyo,” Kenma says, “Let’s get ready for bed.”

Hinata wakes up at that, though when he gets to his feet, he stumbles and barely hides a yawn as he agrees a little too excitedly. Hinata nearly strangles himself in his haste to change into his bed clothes. Kenma switched off the console, and shrugged off his shirt, dropping it in a corner that he’d eventually pick up later. Hinata was shoving his toothbrush back into his bag when Kenma looked over to Hinata again, who was shifting on his feet as he regarded the bed.

“You get in first, Shouyo,” Kenma says. “I’ll be back.”

-

They lie side by side, and Kenma can feel Hinata’s mind going a mile a minute. Unless he’s actually sleeping, Kenma’s sure Hinata’s entire being is one big ball of energy.  Hinata’s hands are lying on his stomach as he stares at the ceiling, rigid. Hinata opens his mouth, Kenma can see from the corner of his eye, but Hinata doesn’t speak right away.

“Kenma, can I ask you a favor?” Hinata says.

“What is it?”

“Uhm,” Hinata says. “Can you…lie with your front to my back?”

Kenma looks at him with that, and Hinata looks back at him, a small, soft smile on his face. Kenma nods, stomach twisting strangely as it has been doing lately when he sees Hinata smiling, and watches as Hinata turns on his side. Kenma shifts up behind him, unsure of where to put his hands until Hinata takes hold of one of them and brings it to wrap around his mid-section. His head is tucked under Kenma’s chin. Hinata is warm; it’s almost an understatement. All the way down to his toes, Hinata is warm. Kenma’s grateful he wore shorts to bed instead, because even through Hinata’s pyjama pants, when Kenma’s knees are tucked against the back of his, there’s nothing but warmth. Hinata’s breathing evenly, hand still solidly gripping Kenma’s. Kenma presses his nose into the crown of Hinata’s head and drifts off.

-

Hinata’s wide awake when Kenma wakes up the following morning. Kenma props himself up on his elbow, noticing his hand is still in Hinata’s. Though, now both of Hinata’s hands are holding it. Hinata cranes his neck back and does that damn bright smile of his as he says, “Good morning, Kenma!”

Every visit after, Hinata sleeps huddled up against Kenma in his bed. Sometimes Kenma sleeps facing the wall, and Hinata presses his forehead in between his shoulder blades, hands twisted into the fabric of Kenma’s shirt. Most of the time, Kenma keeps himself pressed up against Hinata. He’s intent on fully wrapping himself around the warmth Hinata exudes. When Hinata sleeps on his back, he ends up throwing a leg over Hinata’s hip and tucking the other boy’s head under his chin, and slinging an arm around Hinata’s shoulders.

When Hinata tries to disentangle to head to the bathroom or whatever it is Hinata does the moment his battery is fully recharged, Kenma groans, grip tightening. When Hinata does succeed in getting out, Kenma shifts to lie down in Hinata’s spot.

“Kenmaaa,” Hinata says. “Come on, let’s go eat breakfast.”

“Five more minutes. Not yet,” Kenma says.

Kenma opens his eyes, staring over at the far wall as he feels Hinata’s chest rise and fall, and knows that Hinata’s wriggling his toes under the sheets to abate some of the energy already building up inside of him.  

“Will you coming next weekend, too, Shouyo?”

“Hmm? Oh, no, I have to babysit Natsu. But I’ll come the following weekend!”

“Mm. That’s good.”

Kenma buries his face into Hinata’s shoulder and figures the next time Shouyo comes over, he’ll tell him all about the warm fuzzy feeling he gives Kenma inside and out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> http://shyfoxes.tumblr.com/post/89288818768/personal-fireplace-kenhina


	2. Out on the Balcony

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A boy moves into the apartment above Kenma and piques his interest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Birthday fic for Hinata.

The boy that lived above Hinata spent half his time out on the fire escape veranda clicking away at his PSP and half of his time in his room, probably still playing that same PSP or some other console. Sometimes when Hinata got up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom, he took a curious peek out of his window and looked up and sees the faint light of the boy’s room light on. Sometimes a messy-haired boy would pop over, sticking his head out of the glass door and bum around with him for a while before heading home. His family moved to the city a week prior, and Hinata’s still unsure of how to navigate his way around. He still got lost going to the little store a few blocks down.

 

Hinata met the boy one day while he’s trying to wander around corner after corner to get back the apartment complexes he now lived in. He was mid-wail when the boy’s quiet voice and even quieter clacking interrupted him. Hinata turned, and saw him with his lazy, hunched posture, his bleached hair, and bored expression. Hinata pouted when he realized that even this boy is taller than him, much to the other boy’s subtle confusion.

“Are you lost?” He asked.

Hinata nodded quickly, the grocery back knocking against his shin. The boy motioned for him to follow him and Hinata skipped to match steps with him. They walked quietly for a while, and Hinata’s just bursting with the urge to break it. He glanced frequently at the streets signs and the screen of the boy’s console until he couldn’t take it anymore.

“Is that fun?” Hinata asked.

“Huh? Oh, uhm, it’s just a way to pass the time, really…“

“Hey are those volleyball shoes?” Hinata says, and he’s definitely excited now.

The boy’s duffel bag wasn’t fully zipped, and now that Hinata noticed, his shoes weren’t tied up all that tightly either. The boy paused his game and glanced at Hinata a little warily, a little overwhelmed.

“Do you play?” Hinata said

“I’m on the team, yeah,” He said.

“I was hoping to join the team back home,” Hinata said. “But we moved, haha. I always wanted to be on the same team as the Small Giant. He was –“

“We’re here.”

“Ack, already? Thank you for helping me!” Hinata said. He tripped on his way up the stairs before he paused and ran back down with a smile on his face.

“I’m Hinata Shouyou! Nice to meet you!” Hinata said.

“Kozume…Kenma,” the other boys said.

Hinata beamed at him and wriggled out the faintest of smiles before running back up the stairs to his mother’s musings of his sense of direction. His sister barreled into his knees, and Hinata subconsciously lifted her up for a hug.

-

“Shouyou?”

Hinata looked around, confused as to who was calling him before the person called his name again and told him “up here”. Hinata looked up to see Kenma peeking through the bars of the fire escape at him. Hinata stood up on the chair on his balcony and waved at the other boy.

“Kenma!” Hinata said.

“I hadn’t realized you lived on the floor underneath ours,” Kenma said.

Hinata resisted the urge to laugh and nodded at him. Kenma’s brows furrowed and he’s wriggled his fingers around his PSP as he looked at Hinata. Kenma pointed diagonally to the glass door leading back into his apartment.

“Do you want to come up and play a game?” Kenma said.

Hinata had to remind himself he was about four floors up when he got the feeling like he wanted to jump for joy. He threw his hands up instead, his smile making Kenma’s eyes widen slightly, and the corners of his mouth twitch.

“Of course!” Hinata said.

Kenma motioned to the fire escape ladder and told him to come up when he’s ready. Hinata climbed over the safety barrier his parents had installed to keep Natsu from wandering along the ladder and bolted up. Kenma’s lips were parted and his brows arched up when Hinata reached the top. He stood up slowly, and opened the glass door to pop his head in. Looked like his parents had stepped out.

“Have you played Mario Kart?” Kenma asked

“A few times at my friend Izumi’s house,” Hinata said. “He always wins.”

Kenma’s room was littered with clothes in piles on the floor and unmade bed with a few gaming posters on his walls. Hinata nestled himself down next to Kenma before the little TV and proceeded to get his ass handed to him six times.

-

Hinata found out by accident that small touches, like his fingers brushing Kenma’s or their feet or thighs knocking together made Kenma slip up. Hinata, for one, didn’t really understand why he was even paying attention to all these little things about Kenma. He tested the new found knowledge once, though. He tugged at Kenma’s hand slightly and asked him if he’d “please, please toss the volleyball to me a few times” in the little playground a little ways away from the parking lot of the complex. He squeezed a good five tosses out of Kenma before the other boy was hurrying back up to his apartment.

Hinata wished he could have someone toss to him more, but the fact that Kenma even tossed to him tingle all the way up to his shoulders.  Hinata sat pressed up against Kenma on his balcony for the rest of the evening watching him play some game or other. Kenma didn’t seem to mind, much less voice any thoughts on telling Hinata to put a little space between them. If anything, Hinata noticed, if somewhat wistful, that Kenma shifted a little closer to him too.

-

When Hinata did hang out with Kenma, he spent half of it in Kenma’s room playing games, and the other out on the balcony. They’d stayed out late, well into the night, huddled against each other. Hinata did most of the talking, though Kenma had assured him he was more content to listen anyway. 

When Hinata wanted to see Kenma, all he had to do was pop his head up from the fire escape stairs and call out to him. As always, he was greeted with a lazy smile and a small wave of fingers as he was beckoned up.

His mother had mused one night over dinner as she threw his dad a teasing look that Shouyo spent more time over at Kenma’s balcony than his own.

-

Hinata began fanaticizing about kissing Kenma one week later when Natsu had him sit down and watch Aladdin with her. He got a brief thought of himself creeping up the fire escape stairs to Kenma’s balcony, working up the courage, maybe kissing him –

Hinata hid his face in one of the sofa cushions as Natsu tapped him on his head, telling him that he was missing the movie.

-

“Shouyou,” Kenma said. “Are you okay? You’re really quiet.”

Hinata waved his hands around and then ruffled his own hair. Kenma’s eyes roved over him, tilted down at the lower part of his face, and then over his hands before returning to his eyes. Hinata pointed to Kenma’s shoes in his duffel bag.

“J-Just wondering if you’d like to toss to me again, Kenma,” Hinata said.

Well, it wasn’t completely a lie. Hinata would greatly love to have someone pass to him until his arms fell off. He’d have also liked to know if Kenma’s shirt was as soft as it looked, and the smell of his shampoo and the feeling of his breathe on his cheeks. Hinata ducked his head down.

“I’ll toss to you for a little while, if that’s what you really want,” Kenma said.

Hinata jumped to his feet, forgetting that was he was on Kenma’s bed. Hinata nearly slipped off the bed when the corners of Kenma’s mouth curved up, and his easy smile reflected back at Hinata.

-

No matter how many times Hinata jumped, Kenma always got the same surprised expression on his face. He had accidentally thrown it off, thinking Hinata wouldn’t have been able to receive it. He had, appearing at the other end of the playground and spiking it out over the fence as if it were a net. Hinata stumbled, looked at Kenma with his mouth open, cheeks flushed and hair stuck to his forehead from perspiration as he extended his arms out.

“Did you see?” Hinata said. “Did you, did you?”

Kenma could only nod as Hinata catapulted himself at him and they both tumbled down. Hinata latched himself around Kenma’s body, laughing shaking Kenma’s body as Hinata rolled the both of them around. Hinata leaned up on his elbows, thin lips parted with the intent to say something before he froze. Everything felt like it had frozen. Hinata bolted off of Kenma and fell backwards over one of the swings.

“Shouyou, are you okay?” Kenma said.

Hinata sat up, dusting his hair out with a laugh. “I’m used to this, don’t worry.”

“Shouyou…you shouldn’t be used to that,” Kenma said, laughing lightly.

-

“Can I kiss you?” Hinata said.

Hinata could feel his spirit leaving his body. A whole month of reigning in his desires to say things like that and not make things weird between him and Kenma ended just like that. Hinata can almost see the top of his own head, his hair and the startled expression on Kenma’s face. His brows are arched and eyes wide. Hinata was on the third step to fully reaching Kenma’s balcony when he’d seen Kenma’s smile as he called Hinata up to play Brawl with him. Kenma’s lips parted slightly, tiny whites of his teeth peeking out, until they disappeared again as Kenma smiled. Kenma held out one of his hands and took Hinata’s.

“I’d like if you did,” Kenma said.

Hinata crept up those final three steps as Kenma bent down to meet him halfway and press their lips together. Hinata’s hands flew to the front of Kenma’s hoodie, gripping the hood. Kenma’s hand swept to the back of his neck and tilted his head back. Hinata reluctantly parted from him and pressed his face into Kenma’s chest.

“That wasn’t what I actually wanted to ask you,” Hinata said.

“It wasn’t?” Kenma said. “It was still a good question, I think.”

Hinata laughed. “No, no, I wanted to know if you wanted to eat dinner with my family and me later.”

“Are you going to kiss me again, later?”

Hinata flushed, rubbing the back of his neck as he stared at their feet, at where Kenma’s hand was curled around his now. Kenma wriggled his fingers, head bent down again as he smiled against the curve of Hinata’s cheek.

“Only if you come to dinner with me,” Hinata said, smiling slowly.

Kenma nodded, resting his forehead against Hinata’s, eyes lidded as he glanced downwards, then back up at Hinata’s eyes. “Then I’ll come.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> http://shyfoxes.tumblr.com/post/89514767953/out-on-the-balcony-kenhina


	3. Forehead Kiss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> talloly requested: kenhina 4 or 17 (i'm sorry i can't decide there were too many cute ones!)
> 
> #4: forehead kiss

Kenma may or may not have a crush on his new roommate. He’s small for a freshman, and looks like he’d fit in more as a high school first year. Hinata Shouyou comes into their dorm piled with bags under his arms, an overly eager face, and a rather loud voice for someone so small, yelling “HELLO! I’M HINATA SHOUYOU! PLEASED TO MEET YOU!”. Kenma isn’t sure what to think, and probably says something like “Yeah, hello” and mumbles through his name from the far corner of his bed. Kenma’s not so good with people, and someone so loud and energetic is bound to wear him out fast.

 

Hinata takes the top bunk, practically jumping the ladder on the second step and landing on it with a contented sigh.  Hinata moves a lot, Kenma comes to realize. He’s always on the move, and its tiring to watch him sometimes. He paces around the room while he recites from his books under his breath as he studies, jumps around to put his socks on when he has to race out and meet his best friend outside the dorms, he races said best friend to the gyms where the volleyball team practices, and eats until his cheeks bulge like a hamster’s. Regardless, he’s too earnest and bright for his own good. Kenma’s stomach does flops even in the simple way Hinata excitedly says his name. He’ll do things like rush home to give Kenma the other half of his popsicle that an affection upperclassman often buys him  before it melts, or ask if he’d rather eat together in their dorm.

When Hinata gets homesick, as he often does these days, he squirms at Kenma’s bedfoot and asks to share his bed with him. Apparently he’d grown used to waking up with his younger sister pressed up to his side in the mornings. Kenma agrees before he really thinks about it and lets Hinata slide in next to him. Hinata is warm inside and out. Kenma watches him sleeping one night and decides that his feelings are far from the level of crush and burgeoning on something far stronger.

Kenma worries the most these days that he’ll slip up, give into his urges to kiss Hinata or hold his hand and ruin their friendship. Kenma knows he’s terrible at making friends and the last thing he wants is to make things awkward and wrong between them.

“Kenma!” Hinata calls from his top bunk.

He’s leaning over in the way that always makes Kenma feel panicky that he’ll fall off and land on his head. Kenma rushes to the side of their bunk beds, hands raised as he tries and shoo Hinata back over the railing of the bed.

“Come closer!” Hinata says. “Stand on the edge like that? Please? Please, please, please!”

“Shouyou…” Kenma says, weary, “What are you up to?”

“Now, uhm, stand on your toes! Yeah! Like that!”

Kenma grabs onto the rails of Hinata’s bed, and rises up on his toes. Hinata leans over though, straining his arms as his face gets closer to Kenma’s. Kenma scrunches his eyes up as he feels Hinata’s breath breeze across his face. Hinata’s lips, soft and uncertain, press against his forehead and lingers. Kenma’s hands feel sweaty and he nearly slips when he finally opens his eyes and looks up at Hinata.

Hinata is huddled back behind the bars of his bed. His face is flushed and he’s twisting holes into his shirt. A silence settles between them, before Kenma finally has the nerve to break it.

“Shouyou?” Kenma says, breathless.

“I,” Hinata says, “Really like you!”

Kenma presses his forehead to the cool bars and lets himself smile freely. When he peeks back up at Hinata, he’s leaning towards him again. Kenma runs his thumb over Hinata’s lower lip, mustering up his courage.

“I really like you, too,” Kenma says. “Can you, ah, do that again?”

Hinata dives forward eagerly. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> http://shyfoxes.tumblr.com/post/94565497228/kenhina-4-or-17-im-sorry-i-cant-decide-there


	4. Heart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kingdom Hearts AU – ish. Kenma and Hinata chat about hearts and friendship.

 

“Nobodies – don’t have hearts,” Kenma said.

Hinata stopped trying to break apart his seasalt ice-cream to look at Kenma. Kenma kept his hands in his lap, glancing at Hinata from the corner of his eye and then back to his feet as they dangled over the ledge. Only Hinata would choose a meeting place like the top of a clock tower to overlook the town, with the sunset in the distance. Hinata nudged Kenma with his elbow and then handed him his half of the popsicle. Their fingers brushed and blue melted liquid dripping down both of their hands. Hinata grinned.

“Really? I don’t think so. I think you’ve got a lot of heart,” Hinata said.

 

“How can you be so sure?”

“We’re friends aren’t we? What’s to be unsure of?”

Hinata was always so sure and Kenma almost believed him. He laid a hand to his chest, but felt no thumping. It was unlike Hinata whose heart seemed so warm and vibrant. But then, Hinata was a very excitable person, the rhythm of his heart must be something incredible to hear. He’d laid a hand to Hinata’s chest once, felt the warm thrum of it under his palm. He’d envied him for a bit, at the strong beating of it. Then, Hinata had grabbed both his hands in his and declared them friends, and the envy had faded into steady growing affection. Was such a thing possible for something like him?

In truth, Kenma was supposed to be spying on Hinata, learning about the new Keyblade Master for the Organization. It had backfired, however, when Kenma had gotten too distracted with this DS thing the humans had, and Hinata had happened upon him by chance (by fate?). He had told him, after they’d begun meeting more frequently, what he was, and Hinata had more than accepted him despite it. 

“Friends? Yeah, I guess we are,” Kenma said.

“Of course we are! Don’t you like spending time together?”

“I do, its – a nice way to pass the time.” 

“Kenma, you’re so mean. But you can’t fool me. I see you smile when we’re together,” Hinata said, loud and firm in his words. “It’s okay, though. I have enough heart for both of us.”

“I don’t doubt that,” Kenma said.

-

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> http://shyfoxes.tumblr.com/post/102382107493/kingdom-hearts-au-ish-kenma-and-hinata-chat


	5. Astraphobia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> talloly requested: for the fic meme: kenhina #18!
> 
> #18: things you said when you were scared

Kenma hadn’t paid much attention when the thunder had rolled in from the distance and Hinata had suddenly gone stock still. He looked up at the ceiling for a moment before returning his attention to the game. Kenma opened his mouth to ask but Hinata was already squawking about messing up before he could say anything. Hinata’s attention kept on the video game for the most part even when rain began to hit Kenma’s window, sounding like little pebbles striking it in succession.

When the thunder rolled again, closer this time, Hinata stiffened, his knuckles turning white as he gripped the controller too tight. Kenma half expected it to snap between his hands. Hinata bit down into his lower lip and exhaled sharply, loud enough to make Kenma pause again.

“Shouyou,” Kenma began. “You okay?”

Hinata blinked at him from the corner of his eye, trying to smile despite how hard he was biting down into his lip. Kenma furrowed his brows, body turning towards Hinata. A clap of thunder erupted and Hinata dove sideways into Kenma’s side. He knocked Kenma backwards, head buried into his side as he began to shake. The TV blipped but remained steady on the pause screen as Kenma craned his neck to look at Hinata.

“Shouyou,” Kenma tried again. “Hey, Shouyou –“

The thunder erupted again, shaking the whole house as if a truck had just dropped out on the street. The power cut just as a bolt of lightning lit up the room. Hinata crawled further across him and buried into the side of Kenma’s neck.

“Oh, Shouyou,” Kenma said softly. “You’re –“

“ _Don’t laugh_!” Hinata suddenly cried. “Don’t laugh, don’t laugh, please don’t laugh. It’s not funny. It’s not – AH!”

He curled further against Kenma and shook harder. Kenma could feel his hot breath coming out sharp and frantic. He had his eyes screwed shut and his palms pressed up against his ears.

“I wasn’t. I won’t,” Kenma said. “I promise.  Hang on one moment.”

Kenma dislodged Hinata from his body, watching as Hinata curled up on his side as another roll of thunder made him whimper. Kenma ripped his sheets off of his bed and took a hold of the back of Hinata’s shirt. Kenma wrapped the blanket half around one shoulder as he pulled Hinata against him and pressed his face back into the side of his neck. Hinata’s knees came up against his stomach on instinct as another flash of lightning shot through the room. He pulled the blanket around and up over their heads.  Kenma’s hand found its way into the soft curl of Hinata’s hair as his other hand petted his hip.

“It’ll be okay, I’ve got you,” Kenma said. “Don’t be ashamed. I’ve got you.”

Kenma knew it wouldn’t be that easy. Every time the thunder sounded or Hinata peeked out from against his neck a flash of lightning made him hide his face, he’d curl up in on himself again and begin shaking again. But when the storm had passed and Hinata looked more worn than anything else, he still smiled at him and pressed his forehead to Kenma’s chin as unfurled himself to lay more comfortably by his side.

“Thank you, Kenma,” Hinata said.

That was more than enough for Kenma.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> http://shyfoxes.tumblr.com/post/118634345963/for-the-fic-meme-kenhina-18


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> talloly requested: Kenhina and 37!
> 
> #37: "Wanna Dance?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> shout out to talloly for being half the reason i produced so many kenhina fics <3

Kenma was slow to awaken, too bothered by the temperature change. It was becoming the cold time now and eventually he and Kuroo and the little ragtag pod they’d inadvertantly formed over the past few months would be moving towards the warmer waters.  

For now, Kenma only wanted to keep his eyes shut and curl into himself to preserve the lingering warmth left over by his podmates. Shohei had been the last one to leave, also rather sensitive to temperature change like Kenma, but instantly called away at the prospect of food when Tora yelled for him.  

Shohei had raised his head up from behind Kenma’s shoulder, quiet as always, watching Tora with his big eyes. Then he slipped away, fins gently rubbing against Kenma’s as an indication that he was going on ahead. Kenma had only buried his head down deeper into his arms and grumbled for the brief months of decent temperature before the cold times began to set in. The warm times and the cold times were always Kenma’s least favorite. He only enjoyed the inbetweens.

Kenma slept for who knows how long before a faint brushing came back along his skin. It circled him, poking around at him like a curious pup. Kenma  furrowed his brow in his sleep, willing the thing away. When a hand laid down on his forearm, Kenma finally looked up.  

A blob of orange bobbed in front of him, almost too bright for Kenma’s sleepy eyes. It reminded him of that time he’d followed Lev to breach the surface and what he assumed was the sun had nearly blinded him. It seemed so much less…overwhelming where his pod was.  

Kenma raised his head and realized it wasn’t an octopus but another merboy floating inquisitively in front of him. Kenma sat up on his forearms.  

“Hi!” The merboy said. “You haven’t by chance seen someone with a face like this have you?”  

The merboy dug his eyebrows down and scowled until his whole forehead had wrinkled. Even his nose had scrunched up a little. Kenma blinked, suspiciously amused when he should probably have been more annoyed.  

Kenma shook his head. “No, no one like that was here. I was sleeping the whole time.”

The merboy pouted, swimming over on his back in a lazy loop around Kenma as he considered his words. He groaned, clearly put out. Kenma could feel the slight worry coming off of him. He sat up.

“Are you lost by chance?” Kenma asked. “I’ve never seen you in these waters.”

The merboy laughed nervously, rubbing at his nose. Even his gills seemed to change a little bit of color. Embarrassment, Kenma realized.

“We were racing and got separated. But, I think we misjudged where we were. Daichi-san said we shouldn’t travel this far out because there’s a big scary guy that guards these waters,” The merboy said.

Kenma’s brow rose. “What big scary guy?”

“You know! He has eyes like, like this,” The merboy put his fingers over the tops of his eyes, a dramatic lidding effect Kenma supposed. “And he’s got a sneaky smile. And his hair it’s like coral that rises up like waaah! And he’s huge! Bigger than Daichi-san! Bigger even than Asahi-san!” Hinata gathered up his own wild, bright hair until part of it shadowed one eye and the rest did indeed rise up like coral, messy and unmastered.  

The merboy floated around Kenma during all of this, flipping and turning. Kenma merely tilted his head every now and then to keep him in his sights. The merboy floated on his side, features clearly worried now.

Ah, Kenma thought, He means Kuroo.

“Did, uh, Daichi-san really call him big and scary?” Kenma asked.

“Well, no, he said he was troublesome. But the way he described him, he’s obviously big and scary!” The merboy insisted.  

“I see,” Kenma replied, nodding. “There’s nothing to worry about. No one like that is here. What’s your name?”

The merboy paused, suddenly struck by the fact that he had never shared that bit of information. He grinned, though, floating down to sit beside Kenma. He folded his hands in his lap.  

“Shouyou,” The merboy said. “But sometimes my friends and podmates call me Hinata.”

Kenma nodded; “I will call you Shouyou, then. I’m Kenma.”

“Kenma,” Shouyou repeated. “Kenma!”

“Yes,” Kenma replied slowly.  

“Nothing, I just really like your name. What are you doing by yourself? It’s not safe to be alone. Even whale-butt Kei knows that and is always with Tadashi.”

“Sleeping,” Kenma replied simply. He fluttered his tail absently, glancing at Shouyou through his long blonde fringes. “My podmates are out hunting for food. Yaku and Kuroo always keep a good eye on the perimeter so there’s no problem. It’s getting too cold, so I just stayed behind.”

“You don’t like the cold?” Shouyou asked. He seemed to understand the feeling well. Shouyou looked like he was born for the warm times, anyway, at home in the patches of light through the water and the rising temperature.  

“It’s bothersome. You have to move more just to get warm again,” Kenma griped.  

“You don’t like racing or scavenging or chasing after crabs or exploring the seaweed or -”

Kenma put a hand to Shouyou’s mouth. “Bothersome,” He said, cutting him off.

Shouyou took Kenma’s wrist in his hand before beginning to swim backwards. He tugged until Kenma had no choice but to get up, too, both of them floating and facing each other. Kenma’s wrist felt unnaturally warm in Shouyou’s grip. It spread throughout his arm, chasing away the oncoming cold-time chill.  

“What about dancing?” Shouyou asked. “That’s fun and not bothersome.”

“What is dancing?” Kenma blurted. He had never heard such a strange word. Did he mean those silly things dolphin did?

“It’s a thing humans do on the surface! With their, uhm, land fins,” Shouyou explained.  

He let go of Kenma’s wrist to sway his body, arms moving through the water in an uncoordinated fashion. Hinata’s hair fanned around him as he smiled big enough to shut his eyes. He twirled and swayed causing a rush of bubbles, even as he laughed. Kenma watched him quizzically, unsure of his display.

“They do this and other things, but I think you might need land fins for those,” Shouyou continued, not ceasing his movements. “Wanna dance?”

He held out a hand to Kenma, only barely stopping his swaying. Kenma stared, unsure. He had only known creatures to sway for courtship purposes or battle challenges. But it didn’t seem to be either case, not really. A part of him, maybe Kuroo at the back of his mind, maybe his own deep dark sea creature muttered to him that he should have been more cautious of Shouyou. He was an outsider in Nekoma grounds. This could very well be a challenge, or an act to steal him away. What if his kind ate him?

“Kenmaaa,” Shouyou whined. “I promise, it’s fun! And it will make you warm!”

The warmth itself was enticing, even more so if he got to touch Hinata again. Such a small merboy, streamlined for speed and far too trusting off a strange merboy in unknown territory of a supposed terrifying predator. Kenma took his hand.

Shouyou closed his around Kenma’s, pulling him close and making Kenma’s heart jolt with momentary fear. He took Kenma by the other hand and swung them around in dizzying circles. They descended, pulling close and then apart as Shouyou swam up, dragging Kenma. He swayed again, with Kenma awkwardly following suit, feeling strangely foolish despite them both being alone.  

Still, Shouyou’s enthusiasm was infectious, and Kenma couldn’t help his own smile. Shouyou’s teeth were so much flatter than his own, tipped with a subtle sharpness. Both of his hands felt warm, reaching up to his elbows. His blood pumped, trying to chase off the chill.  

“See! It’s fun,” Shouyou exclaimed. “Are you warm yet?”

“Not much,” Kenma admitted. “Not yet?”

“That’s fine,” Shouyou said. He hooked his arm around Kenma’s shoulder, pulling him flush against him. Their chests bumped as Shouyou gentle cupped one of Kenma’s hands and rested his arm over Kenma’s shoulder. Their tails nearly intertwined.  

“This is another dance Hitoka and Tobio and I saw them do. They get really, really close when they do it. But they don’t move as quickly as the do before,” Shouyou explained.

Kenma’s whole body was tingling, right down to every individual scale. He could feel the warm trill of Shouyou’s gills against his own. His forehead brushed Shouyou’s shoulder.

“But it’s like when you huddle with podmates. Maybe it’s how they preserve warmth when they’re tired,” Kenma added in.  

“That’s what Hitoka said,” Shouyou replied. “So maybe it will work for us, too?”

“Maybe,” Kenma mumbled.  

Even if it hadn’t, Kenma hadn’t never felt so warm and content since the first night the Nekoma pod had all come together and huddled in an uncomfortable but protective heap. Shouyou rested his cheek near Kenma’s gill, humming a tune he probably picked up from observing the humans, still swaying slowly.  

Kenma closed his eyes and enjoyed the warmth.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> http://shyfoxes.tumblr.com/post/146112544078/kenhina-and-37


	7. Meatbuns

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> AU. Kenma visits her cousin, then gets stuck in the rain with a girl who offered her a meatbun.

It’s not that Kenma doesn’t like her cousin. Her cousin is a nice enough girl; she’s kind and considerate, and she’s probably going to be student council president this year, too.  But Kenma’s much more at home, well back home, in her room, with her DS in her face. Which is probably why she’s gotten lost (she can’t even remember the town her cousin even lives in, she just knows its in Miyagi Prefecture), and why the heck is summer so hot. Kenma wipes at her forehead and rests her back against the wall of some little shop called “The Foothill Store”. Despite the weather, Kenma still wishes she’d shrugged on her red hoodie anyway. Kenma unlocks her phone and scrolls until she comes to the game she’d been playing on the train ride over. 

“ - Don’t drop it this time! Hinata? Are you listening?”

“I am, I am! I won’t drop it, promise!”

 

A short girl with red hair backs out from the store. She’s got what looks like a meat bun in one hand and what might be even more meat buns in the plastic bag hanging of her wrist. Karasuno Volleyball Club is printed boldly on the front side of her shirt. The girl takes one look at Kenma and lights up instantly.

“I really like your hairpin,” She says.

Kenma absently touches the cat hairpin Kuroo had given her shortly before she’d left. It’s a big devious grinning cat with a black bow tie that reminds Kenma too much of Kuroo for it to a coincidence. The girl shoves her meatbun in her mouth as she waves another one in the air.

“Wan’ one?”

-

The girl’s name is Hinata Shouko, and she talks a mile a minute, eats just as fast, and looks at Kenma as if she’s the most interesting person she’s ever met. Kenma feels equal parts uncomfortable and giddy under Hinata’s attention. Kenma is too preoccupied with Hinata jumping as if she were flying to notice when the light drizzle they’d been walking through (to get to Hinata’s house? She can’t really remember) turns into an utter downpour.

-

Despite Kenma’s clothes clinging to her skin, drenched in rain water, and curled up under the hard plastic of a platform of a playground, she can’t help but feel warm, too. Hinata’s hair is stuck to her forehead, and her shirt clings to her torso, as she grins at Kenma. She shakes her head, and the droplets fall across Kenma’s face.

“Shou…ko,” Kenma starts. “Are you sure you don’t want your hoodie back?”

Hinata just grins, sitting back as she tries to make a muscle with her thin arms.

“It’s okay! I’m strong, you know? I almost never get sick!” Hinata says. “You got more wet than me, though, so you should wear it.”

Kenma wants to argue that no, that’s not true. They’re both drenched, stuck under this downpour and lucky that they aren’t getting flooded out, as they wait. Still, Kenma concedes inside her head, she doesn’t actually want to take Hinata’s hoodie off at all, if she can. Kenma buries her face down into the collar of the hoodie and smells something like sweet-scented shampoo and maybe a hint of the meatbuns Hinata likes so much and stuffs into her pockets. Hinata’s hands fly over Kenma’s as she brings them up to her mouth and blows on them, rubbing them between her own hands.

“Sometimes, when Natsu and I get stuck somewhere because of the rain, I do this with her,” Hinata says.

Kenma’s sure she’ll never forget how Hinata’s hands feel, long after this is over.

-

It’s not until Kenma is back at her cousin’s house, stripping off her wet clothes to dive into a warm bath and her pyjamas that she realizes she’d never given Hinata back her hoodie. She dries it out at the same time she blow dries her own hair. Kenma only hesitates a little (and for that she momentarily blames Kuroo) in deciding if she should sleep in Hinata’s hoodie. She’s curled up in the spare bed of her cousin’s home, DS on pause at her side, as she quickly texts Hinata.

_< <Sorry, Shouko, I forgot to give you back your jacket>>_

_< <That’s okay! Give it to me tomorrow!>>_

_< <Actually….I’m heading home tomorrow…>>_

_< < ))): so we won’t be seeing each other anymore?? I’ll miss you>>_

Kenma shakes her head, snuggling down deeper into the hoodie as she holds her phone and types out her next message.

_< <It’s okay, Shouko. I’ll see you again, soon.>>_

Kenma glances over to the jacket she’d left earlier, NEKOMA printed out in bold white letters against bright red. Kenma briefly wondered what kind of face Hinata would make in the next couple days when she’d see her again; what kind of face she’d make when Kenma held her hands again, and see what the flavor of the chapstick she’d worn was. Still, it didn’t mean she couldn’t keep her jacket warm until then. Kenma rolled over and restarted her game.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> http://shyfoxes.tumblr.com/post/95702389248/au-kenma-visits-her-cousin-then-gets-stuck-in


	8. I'm With You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anon requested: Kenhina and 16?
> 
> #16 - I’m With You. There’s a boy in the hospital Kenma’s grandmother is admitted to that’s just itching to leave.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> previously posted separately.

On Thursday night Kenma’s mother got a call from a hospital in Miyagi. His grandmother had collapsed. It was a heart attack his grandfather had said. Kenma’s grandpa had just gotten back from getting a few things from a corner store when she’d start complaining about chest pains and he’d dropped the bags to the floor and hurried her into their old little car. Kenma sat quietly on the couch and listened to his mother sniffle into the phone. She had told them they’d be down as quickly as they could come Saturday. His mother sat down next to him, her entire body seemingly deflating under the news. He drew himself up, knees to his chin, and scooted closer to her, unsure of what else to do. His mother rested the side of her head to his and exhaled deeply.

“Thank you, honey,” His mother said. “That makes me feel a bit better.”

He wasn’t sure why it had, but he nodded anyway. He waited until his mother’s breathing had steadied out as she fell asleep and then retrieved a blanket from the hall closet to cover her with. He hadn’t never really been close with his grandparents, but he would be lying if he didn’t say the news hadn’t made him anxious. He slept with his TV on and let the low background noise block out any other thoughts. He woke up briefly to see his mother shuffling into her bedroom before falling back asleep.

“I won’t be able to play on Saturday,” Kenma said to his best friend. “I have to go to Miyagi to visit my grandma in the hospital.”

Kuroo stopped swinging to throw him a frown and a concerned furrow of his eyebrows. Kuroo tugged on Kenma’s sleeve and held his gaze.

“She okay?” Kuroo said. “What about your mom, she doing okay?”

Unsaid was also Kuroo’s “And you? Are you okay?” Though Kuroo hadn’t said it, most likely because Kenma might have just evaded it or said something cryptic, Kenma nodded. Kuroo relaxed and then rocked himself a bit on the swing.

“Well, if you need to talk just call me. I’ll tell my mom so she doesn’t get mad if you call like super late,” Kuroo said.

“Thanks, Kuroo.”

-

They hadn’t bothered to take the train to Miyagi. It was probably because she knew how badly he did around large crowds of people. Instead Kenma’s mother had loaded him into their car early in the morning with a thermos of coffee and a blanket. She strapped him into the front seat still half asleep. Two hours later he awoke to his mother singing along to a song from a boy band on the radio. She had the window rolled down, with the wind blowing back her short hair wildly. She glanced at him and reached for the thermos.

“Here, it’s still warm,” She said.

“Thanks,” He said.

He sipped it quietly and then propped his feet up on the dashboard. He didn’t bother throwing the blanket in the back but he did roll down his window. His fringes slipped in to his mouth and got wet when he tried to take another sip. His mother laughed. She said something about maybe cutting his hair when they got to his grandparents’ house. Kenma scrunching his nose was all the reply she needed to burst out laughing again.

“I’m only teasing, honey,” She said. “There’s some food in the bag at your feet. We’ll eat real food when we arrive.”

Kenma turned the volume up on the radio. He looked over at his mom as he tapped his fingers on the thermos.

“Your song is on mom,” Kenma said.

Kenma wagged his feet in time with the song as his mother sang loudly. People passing them spared funny glances at them. But Kenma kept his eyes strictly to his lap and on his DS. If they didn’t think his mom sang that good then that was their problem.

-

His grandparents’ house hadn’t changed much since he’d last been there when he was 8. He was 12 now, almost 13. Their house was small but considerably bigger than the apartment he and his mother lived in. Kenma’s mother fished out the spare house key she’d always kept and they entered quietly. She exhaled as they kicked off their shoes at the door. Kenma’s mother cracked her back and they deposited their bags in the spare room. It was lucky that it was summer break now. They’d probably be staying for a good while. Though Kenma hoped Kuroo would keep an eye out for the stray he’d been feeding lately. H

“Maybe you should take a nap, mom,”Kenma had said. “You drove four hours straight here.”

“I’m fine,” Kenma’s mom said, barely fighting off a yawn. “I’ll sleep after I see how granny is doing.”

Kenma wasn’t convinced by soon they were loading back up in the car. They refilled the tank and then set back off to the hospital. Years away from Miyagi and it seemed like his mother still remembered every single turn and curve there was as if it never left her. It probably hadn’t.

-

The hospital was colder than Kenma had expected. His hoodie wasn’t that thin, but it wasn’t thick either. He kept close to his mother the whole time as she spoke to a nurse at the front desk. He looked around at the people sleeping in the waiting room chairs, and a pregnant woman hobbling in. It looked too bright with its stark walls and floors. The pictures and fake plants and outdates magazines didn’t make it seem any more comforting or welcoming in the least, to Kenma that was. It anything it felt too artificial like he’d stepped into a dollhouse and everyone was on autopilot. His mother rested a hand to his head and told him to come along. He passed nurses and a few doctors walking in and out of rooms. There was the light sound of hushed conversations and the beeping of machines. One door to a room was open with a curtain pulled part of the way. He saw a prone hand and a woman hunched over the bed with her head in hands. Kenma sped up to fall in line with his mother.

His grandmother’s room was a bit brighter, though. She was just that type of person. Light poured in generously from her window. She was sitting up and patting his grandfather’s hand affectionately. When she spotted Kenma and his mother, she broke into a big smile. Kenma shuffled awkwardly towards them, hands planted at his sides. He let his grandfather ruffle his hair and squeeze his shoulder. He asked a question about how his studies were that Kenma mumbled his answer through. He had to climb up on the bed a bit to hug his grandmother, who squeezed him as hard as she could.

“How are you feeling, mom?” Kenma’s mother said.

His grandmother shrugged, and Kenma wondered if maybe that’s where he got it from. She glanced over at her husband and then at the machines.

“I’m fine. Wouldn’t mind going home for some better food, though,” She said, still smiling.

Kenma’s mother sat down on the side of the bed as Kenma hovered near her. His mother took hold of his grandmother’s hand and stroked it.

“I’m glad you’re okay,” She said.

-

His mother ended up falling asleep in the chair his grandfather had been using. Exhaustion had finally gotten to her, even if she had yawned through a series of protests when she’d finally accepted the chair from her dad and promptly fell asleep. His grandfather laid the spare blanket a nurse had left over her. His grandmother yawned, too, and ended up drifting off, too. Kenma’s grandfather slapped his knees with his hands.

“Think you can watch over them for a bit? I’m going to go bring something back for your mom and me to eat,” He said.

Kenma nodded mutely, hand pressing against his DS in his pocket. He waited until his grandfather had left to take it out. He took a seat in the corner of the room and booted it up. He lasted about ten minutes in the silence before he shut it and rose up. Kenma stretched. He looked over at his mother and grandmother and then poked his head out of the door. He’d just stretch his legs a bit, he reasoned. He wandered down the hallway.

-

“Ow! Natsu, don’t pull so hard,” A boy said.

Kenma stopped. He backtracked and peeked inside the room. A boy about his age was sitting up in a bed too big for him. Beside him a little girl was pulling at his hair. She looked like a miniature copy of him with her bright hair pulled in little pigtails. She was pulling her brother’s hair into pigtails, too, with bright hairclips and ribbons. She puffed her cheeks out and told him to stop moving so much if he didn’t want it to hurt.

“I’m not moving at all!” The boy complained.

But he only crossed his arms anyway and let her continue. Kenma accidentally caught his eye. His brown eyes lit up and he nudged his sister aside a bit. Natsu frowned at him and then looked over his shoulder. She frowned even harder at Kenma.

“Hi!” The boy said. “What’re you doing out there? Is that a DS you have?”

Kenma fumbled over his words, still partially hidden outside the doorway of the boy’s room and overwhelmed by his questions.

“Ah, uhm, yeah,” Kenma said.

The boy linked his arm around his sister’s shoulder and pulled her to lie back so he could see Kenma better. She huffed, but seemed content to be cuddled up next to her brother at least. Kenma hesitantly stepped in with his DS in hand. The boy patted the spare space on the bed near next to him, though his sister eyed him critically. Kenma came in and scooched on slowly. The boy reached over on the side table and took his own DS in hand.

“I’m Hinata Shouyou,” He said. “This is my sister Natsu.”

“Kozume Kenma,” Kenma said, nodding.

Natsu still didn’t seem content to have Kenma there, having crossed her arms and leaned against Hinata indignantly. Hinata pulled her cheek. She pouted even harder up at him.

“Don’t be like that, Natsu,” Hinata said. “Maybe Kenma will let you play with his hair!”

“Uh,”Kenma said.

Natsu looked over at him then, brush in hand. He self-consciously patted it but had told her it was fine, if only to stop her from staring at him for a while. She clambered over between the little space between Hinata’s leg and Kenma to sit behind him. She brushed his hair softly, carding her little fingers through it.

“Be gentle, Natsu,” Hinata warned.

“I will! Stupid Shouyou,” Natsu grumbled.

Kenma sneaked a glance up at Hinata. Up close he looked a lot paler than he had imagined. He had an IV hooked up to his right arm, and a nasal cannula in his nostrils. He had a few bandages on his right arm, probably from injections. His left hand had his name band. Even as small as it was it still seemed too loose on Hinata’s wrist. Kenma did his best not to stare. Hinata seemed like the type of person to be out running and laughing and coming home with minor scrapes on his knees. Yet he looked tired, too, and worn out even with the large smile on his face.

Kenma hadn’t noticed how much time had passed until his mother had wandered in after having looked in each room up the hall gently calling his name. She was waving to Hinata as he was drifting off just as Hinata’s parents came in. Kenma was careful not to hop off the bed until Hinata’s mother had extracted Natsu from his back. Kenma slowly slid off the bed, careful as to not jostle Hinata too much as he fought to stave off sleep. Hinata’s parents smiled freely at the two of them, almost as bright as Hinata. Hinata’s mother resettled Natsu in her arms as she and his mother conversed quietly amongst each other. Hinata’s father went to his side and kissed his forehead.

“K’nma,” Hinata said. “Are you coming back…tomorrow?”

Everyone seemed to be looking at him then. Kenma looked straight down at his feet. He peeked up at his mother from between his fringes when she laid a hand on his shoulder with an encouraging smile. Kenma looked over at Hinata.

“Yeah, I’ll come see you again, tomorrow,” Kenma said. “Right after I see my grandma.”

Hinata smiled then even as his eyes shut. His mumbled I’m glad then got lost as he drifted off. Hinata’s dad beamed at him, strangely tall in comparison to the rest of them in the room. Kenma’s mother put both of her hands on his shoulders and steered him out as they said a quiet goodnight to the Hinatas.

His mother leaned over and down to press an upside down kiss to his forehead. He blinked up at her owlishly.

“You looked like you enjoyed yourself, you know,” She said. “You also still have ribbons in your hair.”

Kenma quickly pulled them out before rocking back to lean against his mother. He made a vague comment about it not being a big deal. They drove home quietly behind his grandfather and settled into bed.

-

“My grandma says hi,” Kenma said.

He wasn’t sure why he had said it, but it seemed like the easiest thing to say when he walked into Hinata’s hospital room. Hinata had paused mid chew to blink at him. Kenma felt uneasiness rise in him until Hinata broke out into a smile. He wiped his mouth with his forearm, jostling the IV tube, and patted his mattress. He looked a little perkier this morning than last, but the big tired bags were still under his eyes.

“Tell her I say hi too when you get the chance!” Hinata said.

“Where’s Natsu?”

“My parents haven’t come yet. But they’ll be here soon.”

Kenma hummed, drawing his legs up under him on the bed. Hinata fished his DS from under his side where he had probably dropped it when he had drifted off to sleep the night prior. Hinata glanced at Kenma with a sheepish look.

“Hey Kenma, what grade are you in?” Hinata asked.

“I’m going to be in my second year of middle school when school starts again,” Kenma said.

“You’re older than me? Oh wow,” Hinata said. “I had to miss a lot of school last year but I’m supposed to be starting my first year of middle school soon!”

Kenma adverted his eyes, unsure of how to proceed. It felt like a touchy topic to speak up on, though Hinata seemed more than willing to tell anyone that would listen. Hinata set his DS down in his lap, looking thoughtfully at his feet under his blanket.

“I really hate it in here,” Hinata muttered. “I wanna go running outside with Natsu.”

“You’ll get out soon though,” Kenma said. He added, “Won’t you?”

Hinata smiled, though it seemed mostly hopeful, “Yeah, really soon.”

-

“Do you know what I’m gonna do once I start middle school?” Hinata said.

Kenma shook his head, though he knew Hinata would have continued on anyway. Hinata fished out a sports magazine from his bag on the other side of the bed and deposited it on Kenma’s lap. It was an issue on volleyball, featuring the back of a player as he jumped to spike a toss.

“Volleyball,” Kenma said.

“Yup! Volleyball. I want to play so bad. I may not be very big, but one day I’ll definitely be, like my dad. But I until then I can still keep up. I can jump!”

“How much have you played?” Kenma asked.

Hinata flushed hotly, twiddling his fingers. “Not much. Barely at all. But I’ll join a club in middle school and change all that!”

“I’m sure you will.”

“Do you play any sports?”

Kenma hesitated, unsure if he should really tell Hinata that he also played volleyball. He had only joined because of Kuroo and because it was a way for him to pass the time until he mother came home from work. She had insisted on it, actually, thinking it would be good for him. Kenma didn’t agree or disagree.

“…Volleyball. Actually,” Kenma said.

“Really? Tell me more!”

It was difficult to get his point across at first, especially because it felt like Hinata’s enthusiasm far outshined his meager interest. But the moment he had brought Kuroo up, it seemed easier. A back thought in his mind had wondered how well Hinata and Kuroo would have gotten along.

-

Hinata, as Kenma discovered, was sickly. He got sick easily. A little cold wind could shake him into a fever and a coughing fit if he wasn’t careful. He’d spent a good amount of his time growing up stuck in hospital rooms with IVs in his arm and his head turned towards his window. Natsu had started packing drawings she did in school for him in his overnight bags.

Hinata was also something of a whiner. It succeeded so far for him in little ways, like getting regular packages of meat buns from his parents, or getting Kenma to lie back against the pillows right next to him. He’d tugged on Kenma’s pant legs, whining about how Kenma was sitting too far from him, what good did it do him to be that far? That he should come closer, closer still, until he’d simply suggested that Kenma come and sit right next to him.

“Natsu usually takes this spot, but since my parents don’t have much time off anymore, she’s at daycare mostly,” He said.

Which led Kenma to his other discovery of Hinata Shouyou; he was physically affectionate by nature. It’d started with the pant-leg tugging, and turned to him gently gripping Kenma’s ankles for attention. He’d been gradual and careful to gauge how much Kenma would tolerate before braving it a little further. Each time Kenma was surprised, but strangely okay with his gestures.

Hinata’s shoulder pressed against his own as he leaned over and showed him something on his DS. Kenma nodded absently. Their hands brushed as Hinata settled even closer to him, if at all possible, almost leaning his head on his shoulder. Kenma wondered why he felt a little disappointed that he didn’t.

-

“There was a player I saw once on my way home,” Hinata had said. “He was incredible. I’d never seen anyone jump so high. There were all these tall guys on the other side of the net blocking him like a giant wall. But he did it; he blasted right through them like it was nothing! I want to be like him. I want to be the ace one day!”

Hinata’s hand had crept out from underneath his blanket to press the pinkies of their hands together. Hinata’s pinky overlapped with his own shyly. Kenma moved his hands so his ring finger and Hinata’s also overlapped.

“I’m sure you will,” Kenma said.

-

On the Wednesday of the following week, on the day that his grandmother was finally discharged from the hospital, Kenma stood awkwardly beside Hinata’s bed. He twisted his hands in his shirt as he looked up at Hinata.

“I’m returning home tomorrow,” Kenma said. “To Tokyo. So I think this might be the last we’ll be seeing each other.”

Hinata’s smile barely reached across his face. Beside him Natsu was sleeping, curled up against his side and tucked under a little animal print blanket that must have been brought from home. Hinata stroked her hair.

“Oh, okay. Can I have your number though? You can still text me!” Hinata said.

Kenma smiled. “I’d like that.”

-

Hinata texted a lot. He peppered his messages with emojis and exclamation points and Kenma could practically feel his enthusiasm even as far away as Miyagi was from Tokyo. He texted him how much he craved his mother’s cooking over hospital food. He sent him pictures of random things like Natsu’s drawings, one of which was supposed to Kenma with big, wobbly characters telling him that she missed him. A lot more were that any day now he would be getting to leave the hospital and all the plans he had for the rest of the summer.  He’d gotten discharged once, but about a week and a half later had to go back. Kuroo had looked over his shoulder one day and huffed in his typical teasing way.

“I thought you were a cat-person, Kenma,” Kuroo had said.

“Hush, Kuroo,” Kenma said. “Where’s my cat by the way?”

Kuroo tossed up the volleyball and made a move to spike it. It landed in his face and dropped into his hands. Kenma looked at him dryly.

“I took him home with me. It was getting too hot outside so I figured he’d do better indoors,” Kuroo said.

Kuroo motioned to Kenma’s phone with his head as he held out the ball for him to take. Kenma put the phone in his pocket and took hold of the ball. He set the ball and watching as Kuroo almost perfectly spiked it over their imaginary net.

“How about that shorty? Has he been discharged?”

“Not yet. But he says he will soon.”

“Summer’s almost over, you know,” Kuroo said. “And I think he told you that same thing last week.”

“He started running a fever again so they kept him a few more days until it broke.”

“You should go visit him the next time your mom has a day off or something,” Kuroo said. “Actually bring me along, too! I want to meet him.”

Kenma scrunched up his nose as Kuroo indignantly asked him what that was supposed to mean.

“You’re kind of an acquired taste. I’m not sure I’d recommend you to other people.”

“Rude!”

-

“Hey, Kenma, how about we go see Shouyou this weekened?” His mother had suggested.

They were washing up the dishes together. She washed and rinsed and he towel dried them off and put them away. He had grown a little over the summer and just about reached her shoulder. She took his silence for questioning.

“Tetsurou told me that Shouyou’s still in the hospital. School’s about to start soon, right? It wouldn’t hurt just to go down there for a day or so before it happens.”

“Can you get the time off to do that, though?” Kenma asked.

His mother pinched his cheek with a wet hand. He grimaced and wiped off the water with his sleeve.

“They owe me a few days actually. So, how about it? Actually, it’s going to be your grandfather’s birthday in a few days, too. Two birds one stone, eh?”

“Yeah, why not.”

She bumped her hip with his as he tried to hide his smile.

-

Hinata looked brighter, was the first thought that popped up into Kenma’s mind. The bags under his eyes weren’t so bad, and his skin wasn’t so sickly pale. The color was returning to his cheeks in a healthy flush. He seemed a little more rested, and he wasn’t wearing his nasal cannula anymore. There was still a chance he’d get sick again not long after he left, but little victories were worth it. He had no IV either, now that he looked a little better.

“Shouyou,” Kenma said.

“Kenma! What’re you doing here?” Hinata said.

“Visiting. You look  well.”

“Mhm! They said I can leave later this evening. They just want to double check before they release me.”

Kenma pushed the paper plate in his hands into Hinata’s. It was left over birthday cake from his grandfather’s party and he told Hinata so. Hinata looked delighted, not even waiting for Kenma to hand him in the spoon his pocket before digging in with his fingers.  He talked around a garbled thank you. Hinata licked off a piece of icing from the corner of his mouth gleefully.

“How long are you here for?” Hinata said.

“Until tomorrow afternoon. Why, what’s up?”

Hinata rubbed the back of his neck, before saying, “Do you mind tossing to me a bit?”

Kenma almost rolled his eyes. He took the plate from Hinata’s hand and dumped it in the nearby trashcan. He could feel Hinata’s big, expectant eyes on his back.

“Sure, where do you live?”

That especially had lit Hinata up and he blabbered on about showing Kenma his room.

-

Hinata’s house was actually not a far walk from the hospital. Kenma briefly wondered if there might have been a reason for that, with Hinata’s health in consideration. He didn’t voice this thought and Hinata didn’t make any mention of it. Hinata took Kenma by the hand and eagerly dragged him down the sidewalk as his duffel bag flapped against his side. He had waved his parents off in getting a drive back home in favor of being able to run there with his own two feet. He had whined that he had been too cooped up to be cooped up any longer. Kenma, and his parents, had pretty much known the argument was done then and there and made no move to dissuade Hinata from his decision. Kenma was just thankful for the short distance.

It was quaint, homey and bright, nothing less than what he would expect from such cheerful people like Hinata and his family. Kenma didn’t have much time to look around before Hinata had dragged him out into his backyard where a volleyball sat against the side of a house and a tire swing tied to a tree branch.

Kenma took up the ball as Hinata kicked off and his shoes and braced himself. Hinata’s legs wobbled a bit, maybe out of excitement or something else. Kenma chose to turn a blind eye and tossed the ball up a couple times to get his bearings. He looked over at Hinata.

“Ready?” Kenma asked.

“Anytime!” Hinata said.

He tossed the ball up towards Hinata. And Hinata – he flew. His legs came up behind him as Hinata poised his arm and hand to smack the ball, eyes fixated on it. Kenma’s mouth fell open a bit as he watched Hinata’s hand coming down and completely missing the ball. Hinata fell back down to the ground on his feet with a groan.

“Again, again, I almost had it!” Hinata said.

Kenma resisted the urge to teasingly tell him that he had missed it by a wide margin as he retrieved the ball. He set the ball up again, watching as Hinata crouched, arms swinging out behind him and he jumped as if he was made for the air. Maybe he was.

-

“I have one more thing to show you before you go home,” Hinata said, suddenly a bit shy and subdued.

Kenma cocked an eyebrow but nodded. He followed Hinata up the stairs and to the second door down the hall. The door with the big pink flowers must have been Natsu’s. Hinata’s was bear save for a drawing of Hinata’s name, along with him and his sister holding hands as a welcome sign.

His room was cluttered, something like an organized mess. Kenma knew because his room was much the same way. Anyone who didn’t stay in there would have just thought it a mess. To Hinata and Kenma everything was in the place it needed to be when it needed to be found, that was good enough. He had volleyball posters, a few drawings of Natsu’s and what looked like an Animal Crossing wall scroll near his desk. His bed was unmade and his curtains wide open. Kenma sat himself on his bed.

Hinata dug into his closet, flipping through his clothes, not finding what he wanted and then flipping through them again. He made a funny noise as he pulled out what he had sought. It was a school uniform, neatly pressed and new. Hinata held it up against his chest proudly.

“I’m going to start middle school this semester! The doctors think I’ll be good to go,” Hinata said.

“That’s great,” Kenma said. “You’ll get to join a volleyball club and everything.”

“I hope I have nice teammates, and a great setter like you,” Hinata said. He flipped the uniform around to face him as he looked over it critically.

“Hmm, maybe,” Kenma said.

Hinata put the uniform away back in his closet. Hinata came to stand before him, one of his hands balled into a loose fist. Hinata rocked on his feet as he bit his lip, something Kenma had come to know as a nervous habit on his part. Hinata quickly took hold of one of Kenma’s hands and deposited something flat and light in it. It felt like - Hinata squeezed his hand to keep it shut.

“I hope we’ll get to see each other again,” Hinata said. “I’m glad I got to meet you. You made being in the hospital a lot better.”

Kenma hung his head and let his fringes hide his face. His hair was long enough that it should shield him from letting Hinata seeing the burning flush that was rising on his cheeks. Kenma squeezed his closed fist a little tighter, very aware of what Hinata had given him.

Hinata’s mother called to them from the bottom of the stairs to tell them that Kenma’s mom had come to pick him up. They lingered in Hinata’s room, not really looking at each other or talking. Then they descended one behind the other towards the front door. Kenma’s mother ruffled Hinata’s hair and told him she hoped his school year would be good to him. Hinata’s mouth stretched into a bright, genuine grin that made Kenma freeze for a moment.

“See you again, Kenma,” Hinata said.

“Yeah, see you again, soon, Shouyou,” Kenma said.

It wasn’t until they’d turned off of Hinata’s street to head down the path to his grandparents’ house that Kenma unfurled his fist. Hinata had given him a button, of which Kenma imagined, would have been the second one from the top that he had nabbed from his school jacket.

-

Three years later, and Kenma had heard that was to be a revival of the Battle of the Garbage Heap between Nekoma and Karasuno. Kuroo, now captain, looked smugly at the prospect, arms crossed across his chest.  His coach had gotten a mischievous twinkle in his eye when Kuroo had addressed their team and told them about the history of their team and what it meant to this age old rivalry between Cats and Crows. Kenma was mildly interested, especially with the way his teammates seemed to be more anxious for the days to run off for the practice match.

Then the day came, and Kuroo ushered them all out to await their rivals. They kept in a lazy line, loudly talking amongst each other. Taketora yawned with his hands in his pockets, muttering something about female managers as Shibayama and Inuoka reminded him of a bet they had made. Kuroo rested an elbow to the top of his head as he said something to Yaku and Kai that Kenma wasn’t particularly paying attention to.

Then a row of black came up in the distance, crossing the courtyard of the school to come and stand before them. Their captain called for them to stand at attention and Kuroo did the same. They regarded each other, and Kenma caught a shock of bright, orange hair that he doubted he’d never forget. Or the smile that always came with it.

“Shouyou?” Kenma said, hesitant.

“Kenma!” Hinata said, stumbling out of line to hug him.

Kuroo bent out from where he stood to smirk at him. Kenma only buried his face in Hinata’s neck and pretended neither his teammates or Hinata’s were watching them curiously.

-

Later, before Karasuno had to load back up to head home, Kenma dragged Hinata into the locker rooms with him. He opened his locker to pull out his uniform he had thrown in there haphazardly. He plucked off a button, second from the top and pressed it into Hinata’s hand. Kenma looked away, eyes trained on the row of lockers as Hinata’s hand curled into his palm. Hinata clutched the hand that held the button and laced the fingers of his other hand with Kenma’s.

“I’ll take this as a promise, too,” Hinata said. “We’ll see each other again. At Interhigh.”

“And after that?” Kenma said, smiling faintly.

“Far after that, too,” Hinata said, grinning in that way that Kenma could best recall.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> http://shyfoxes.tumblr.com/post/104991267938/kenhina-and-16
> 
> Kenma has a single mom here. They never really discuss the parents or families much in Haikyuu, anyway. I think we see Hinata’s mom like super briefly in one panel. In case you didn’t know (though I’m sure you do!) giving the second button from the top on uniforms is often given away to signify being in love with someone. I always mention Kuroo a lot when I write Kenma because their relationship is so important. Google says a trip from Tokyo to Miyagi takes about four and a half hours or so by car.


	9. And I Feel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Psycho Pass AU. 
> 
> “When I’m with you, I don’t feel nervous or anything. I think my hue is at the clearest when you’re around.”
> 
> “You’re embarrassing you know,” Kenma mumbled, though he doubted Hinata heard him.

Hinata Shouyou came into Kenma’s life too swiftly for him to be prepared. It was like everything that seemed to be happening to him. One moment Kenma would be comfortable in his little sphere, content with the quiet for the time being, and then something would come out of nowhere and disrupt it, pop it, and he’d have to realign everything again. It was like that with Kuroo when he was little, when he’d gone to school and his anxieties flared, when he’d been caught by the MWPSB and sent to rehab, and then recruited.

Hinata was fresh faced and eager and so wholly wrong for the position of Inspector for the MWPSB that Kenma felt nothing but pity flood him when they were introduced to each other. For someone who seemed to wind up in minor accidents and incidents a lot (like being confronted by Division 1’s Ushijima, and Division 2’s Iwaizumi and Oikawa while on his way to the bathroom), he was almost scar free. Kenma had stolen glances at his hands and his arms when he’d rolled up the sleeves. Hinata might as well have been born the day before. Kenma watched his colleague, Yachi, and Hinata talk animatedly about some crazy thing or another that seemed only plausible in whatever strange language they’d invented in the few weeks they’d gotten to know each other. Kenma glanced again from over his laptop, meeting Hinata’s eyes who only grinned at him.

“We’ve figured out the perpetrator, Kenma! We just have to apprehend him now,” He said.

Kenma nodded silently and tried to ignore the uneasiness that was nagging at him. It felt like when animals got tense and restless when a storm was going to hit. Kenma only hoped he was wrong. He rarely was.

-

The last thing Kenma had wanted to do was work with the Public Safety Bureau. Kenma’s own distrust in the legitimacy of how perfect the Sibyl System was a large part of the reason. The system itself seemed too good to be true, and it tended to fuel a nagging back-thought in his head every time he had to get scanned. He stayed holed up at home most times, playing computer games and trying to avoid that rising panic that he’d get when he was out among crowds of people. He could care less about what they thought of him and yet he cared so much at the same time. Kenma hadn’t been careful enough, though, after curiosity won out on him. He should have been more careful, though, he supposed. He had been prideful in thinking he was that good of a hacker that he had closed off all traces of intrusion when he’d gone snooping into the MWPSB’s database. His childhood friend had told him that well enough. But what had that gotten him? Nothing but a demotion alongside his friend, Bokuto, from Inspector to Enforcer.

Looking back, Kenma figured it was probably inevitable being caught. Kuroo laid a hand on Kenma’s head as he introduced him to Division 4. Kuroo ruffled his hair affectionately.

“This is my childhood friend, Kozume Kenma,” Kuroo said. “He’ll be a part of our division starting today.”

Kenma looked up at them from behind his bangs and mumbled out a greeting.  The Inspectors and Enforcers looked at each him, at each other, and then smiled.  The leading inspector, Kai, said, “Welcome to Division 4, Kenma.”

-

Kageyama was the other rookie assigned to Division 5 alongside Hinata. Kageyama seemed a bit more suited for the position at first glance; he was serious-looking and had a biting wit that made Tsukishima scowl to himself from his corner by Yamaguchi. Around Hinata though, he was almost a child and they fell into a rivalry that baffled Kenma. They shoved at each other as they tried to enter the Analysis Department before the other. Division 5’s head, Sawamura glared down at them and they quieted down. Kenma walked over to Hinata, laptop under his arm.

“I heard you got to use a Dominator for the first time yesterday,” Kenma said.

“Yeah! It was – so cool. I could hear Sibyl in my head and then I could read all these Crime Coefficients and then it morphed like hwaaah! It was so cool,” Hinata said.

“You said that twice,” Kenma said.

“It was  _that_  cool.”

Kenma smiled faintly even if his heart wasn’t in it. It was childish wonder that didn’t seem to make it stick to Hinata how dangerous a weapon Dominators were. He was still too blinded by the technology of it. Hinata looked at his hands, blemish free and small, with a childish smile before he looked up at Kenma.

“I felt like a real Inspector,” He said.

“Dumbass, it’s not zapping people that makes you an Inspector,” Kageyama said.

“You looked like you thought it was cool too, Kageyama,” Hinata said from behind his hand.

“Shut up!”

-

The first time Kenma held a Dominator, his hands had trembled. His palms were sweaty and his fingers were tense; it felt too big, too heavy. He could hear Sibyl’s voice in his head. It felt like it was drowning out any other thoughts that had been in his head. He only caught brief snippets of what Sibyl said, too focused on the file on him flashing before his eyes.

“ ** _Enforcer – Kozume Kenma – approved –_**  “

Kuroo tapped the back of Kenma’s leg with his foot and cocked his own Dominator against his shoulder. Kuroo shot him the smile he’d used all through their childhood; the lazy, shit-eating one that was meant to simultaneously frustrate Kenma and calm him down. Kuroo pointed at his Dominator.

“You’ll get used to it,” Kuroo said.

“Wish I didn’t have to,” Kenma muttered.

He followed behind Kuroo, looking around his side to see Yaku elbow the first of their two rookie Inspectors, Lev, in his side when he said something stupid. Yaku looked over his shoulder at Kuroo.

“It’s a shame we had to have so many newbies today. It’s a bad case to start out on,” Yaku said. “But they might as well get used to it. You two ready?”

Kuroo glanced back at Kenma before drawing him up next to him by the hood of his jacket. Kuroo laid his hand back on Kenma’s head.

“Yeah, ready as ever,” He said.

-

“Shouyou, why are you an inspector?” Kenma said; he hadn’t meant for it to slip out at that day. “You could be anything else, couldn’t you?”

Hinata stopped eating as he paused and then began to consider what he’d say. His cheeks were full and his lower lip had sauce covering it. Hinata finished chewing and then looked down at his plate as he smiled. Kenma secretly kept track of all the different ones Hinata seemed to have.

“There was this inspector once, that saved my mom and little sister from a latent criminal when I was little,” Hinata said. “I don’t know his name but my sister called him  _‘The Small Giant’_. I wanted to be like him since then, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. I barely passed the exams for this, but here I am! He’s apparently retired, though, so that’s a bummer.”

Kenma stirred his soup with his spoon. It had probably gotten cold by now with the way he ate so slowly. Kenma forced himself to keep talking even if he was afraid of Hinata’s reaction.

“Don’t take this the wrong way, but I don’t think this is the right job for you,” Kenma said.

“Maybe it isn’t, but I want to be like my hero and uphold justice. Besides, if I hadn’t decided to do this, I doubt we’d have ever met!”

“That’s…” Kenma tried to say. Exactly something Hinata would say.

“When I’m with you, I don’t feel nervous or anything. I think my hue is at the clearest when you’re around.”

“You’re embarrassing you know,” Kenma mumbled, though he doubted Hinata heard him.

“So, let’s keep getting along!”

Kenma sat back in his chair with a resigned sigh. He looked at his hands in his lap. He let his eyes slowly go across the table to take in Hinata’s small hands and his little body and wild, bright hair. He looked like he still belonged in high school. He should have gotten a better job, maybe one as a kindergarten teacher where Kenma was sure he’d fit in more. Kenma nodded at Hinata.

“I’d like that,” He said.

-

Hinata fell face first over the back of the couch. He laid there unmoving for moments longer than Kenma thought Hinata was capable of achieving. Hinata turned his head to pout at Kenma.

“Suga told me to come back because he was afraid I was clouding my hue,” Hinata said, almost petulantly. “I was fine, though.”

“You shouldn’t take it so light, Shouyou,” Kenma said. “Once you mess up, that’s it. There’s no going back.”

Hinata furrowed his brows and sat up to face Kenma. Kenma had said too much already, he thought in regret. He hadn’t meant to let it slip that that was part of what got him caught. There was no way Hinata wouldn’t know that he was a latent criminal, much less the reasoning behind why. But he had hoped to try and keep his own pessimistic thought as far away from him as he could, just in case it affected him.

“Do you really think that?” Hinata said.

“I,” Kenma said. “I do. It’s happened to me, to Kuroo. To a lot of the enforcers. It might happen to you too if you’re not careful.”

“I don’t think it’s impossible to go back,” Hinata mumbled. “It’s hard, but not impossible.”

“Chikara would say you’re wet behind the ears, Shouyou. The world, Sibyl, doesn’t work like that.”

“Maybe,” Hinata said. Kenma knew he wasn’t about to give up the last word, it just wasn’t how Hinata was. “But I don’t have to worry about my hue.”

“Why?” Kenma said, suddenly growing alarmed.

“Because you’re around. Even if a mission is dangerous, hearing you kind of makes it easier.”

Kenma could feel his cheeks begin to color, probably in big splotches across his face. He turned so his fringes hid his face. Hinata called his name but didn’t get up.

“How do you never get embarrassed saying stuff like that?” Kenma said.

“If it’s sincere, why get embarrassed?”

Funny, Kenma thought, somehow that sounded like something Kuroo would say, too. A Kuroo before he had fallen from grace. Kenma slid his lunch box across the table towards Hinata.

“Let’s eat in the meantime,” He said.

–

The feeling was back, and it felt like it was going to overwhelm him. Hinata had dropped off a lunch box for him that morning and told him that he’d hope he’d get back in time from his assignment to eat it with him. Kenma had been content and excited at the thought.

Then half an hour later Sawamura was calling in to the Analysis Department. He’d been so frantic and loud noises were going off in the background.  A crease had crossed between Shimizu and Ennoshita’s brows as they called out coordinates to Sawamura and Sugawara.

Then, came Sugawara’s faint voice, “Oh, no. No, no, no.”

-

Kenma was going to throw up. He could feel his stomach getting warm too quickly, and the back of his throat constrict. He breathed in and it felt like his stomach was going to fall out the moment he exhaled. He looked at the mass of blood across the concrete, across Kuroo’s cheeks and the front of his jacket. He looked around at the other members of his division at how stony their faces looked. He looked at Lev and Inuoka and saw what he figured was on his face, too. Inuoka hesitated but then took Lev’s hand into his, trembling.

Kenma fell to his knees. His dominator fell from his hands, skidding forward. His breathing started coming too hard, and his vision blurred. Kenma looked down at his hands, at how clean they looked, even with his chewed down fingernails and the scar on his right index finger. He felt a hand settle on his head but didn’t look up.

“Come on, we’re done here,” Kuroo said.

He helped Kenma to his feet and they loaded back up into the police van. Tora was quiet as he sat down heavily next to Fukunaga. He looked over at Kenma as he sat in the corner of the van and drew his legs up to his chest. Kuroo sat down next to him, hands hanging between his legs as he rested his head back. Kenma took his handkerchief from his pocket and pushed it into Kuroo’s hands.

Kenma was transferred to the Analysis Department a week later.

-

The Analysis Department wasn’t so bad. He worked alongside three other people and was surprised at how strangely comfortable he felt around them from the get-go. Shimizu Kiyoko was quiet and intense, but had a shy, soft smile that made him feel a bit bubbly but not nervous. Ennoshita Chikara looked perpetually sleepy and had an unending dry sense of humor. Kuroo had commented later that that was probably why he had warmed up to him so quickly. Yachi Hitoka was sweet, too sweet, Kenma thought, with a wild imagination that he was sure had a tendency to cloud her hue on occasion. But she had a bright smile that made the whole room at ease, especially, it seemed, Shimizu. He wondered how many people in the world could be capable of doing that with such a simple gesture.

They all worked well together, and under Kiyoko’s management, were more than efficient. Kenma felt comfortable, maybe even at home here. With Shimizu bringing up the helm and Ennoshita on call and Yachi with her gentle touches, Kenma felt fine not seeing Kuroo as often as he wanted to.

-

This was inevitable, too. In a society even as revolutionized by Sibyl as it was, it shouldn’t need the Public Safety Bureau, ideally. But it did. People, as Kenma had come to know, could be terrifying even in little ways.

Hinata had kept rose-colored glass over his job and it had backfired on him, on Kageyama, and on Division 5. Kenma stood at the doorway to the Medical Wing as Division 5 and Hinata crowded the window. He could make out Kageyama’s hand on the hospital bed surrounded by nurses and doctors as they tried to stabilize him. Among them he saw Kuroo laying that same gentle hand on Sawamura’s shoulder. Sawamura leaned a little into it. Kenma thought it best to turn a blind eye. Kenma picked out Hinata from between Azumane and Tanaka, though they almost dwarfed him in size. It almost looked a protective blockade the way they flanked him. Hinata’s shoulders shook.

Kenma hesitated, “Shouyou…”

Hinata choked on a sob. Everyone seemed to freeze then, too aware of the emotions that made it so thick and heavy. There was guilt and frustration and desolation all in one. He’d heard it before in Inuoka when he couldn’t save a girl on one of his missions, and how he’d cried against Yaku’s side. Tanaka turned to say something to him but his voice faded when he finally opened his mouth. Hinata’s fists shook at his side and he hung his head down and forced himself to breathe. He was breathing too hard and his whole body was trembling.

“Shouyou,” Kenma tried again.

Sugawara reached out for him, about to grab him by the back of his shirt collar. Hinata looked up at him too quickly for anyone’s comfort, tears stuck at the corners of his eyes and refusing to fall. Everyone grew tense, tenser, but didn’t move or speak.

“Hinata,” Sugawara started. “You need to calm down. You’re going to cloud your hue.”

“He hurt Kageyama,” Hinata said in a small watery voice. “We have to go back out there; We can’t let him get away with this!”

“Hinata, enough, not n-“

“We can’t!”

Everyone looked at each other, but didn’t speak. Sugawara’s hand hovered in the space between him and Hinata, almost reaching but not touching. Sugawara’s brows furrowed and chewed down into his lip. If it continued everyone’s stress levels would rise.

“We’re the good guys aren’t we,” Hinata said. “We’re supposed to stop people like that. He hurt Kageyama! We can’t just sit here. Kageyama wouldn’t like that, he’d – he’d be trying to get out of that bed and going out to catch that guy!”

“Hinata,” Daichi said. “We would love nothing more than to do that, you know that. We all know that. But we can’t just go running out there foolishly. We have to regroup; we have to formulate a plan.”

“But if he’s out there he could be hurting more people!”

“You heard Daichi, Shorty, stay put,” Kuroo said.

“If you guys aren’t going to do anything – “Hinata said.

He turned on his heel ready to storm out; to go no one knew where. He was probably just going to wander around the whole city waving his Dominator and looking for the suspect. Kenma grabbed the back of Hinata’s shirt.

“Shouyou! Shouyou, you have to calm down,” Kenma said. “Shouyou, you’re going to cloud your hue, you need to calm down.”

Hinata kept walking even as Kenma’s feet skidded as he tried to drop his weight and stay planted. He heard Kuroo curse behind him, about to intervene when Kenma looked back at him and he stopped. Kuroo exhaled sharply but his shoulders were tense. Kenma grabbed Hinata around his chest, forcing him against himself and held on tight. Hinata stumbled. He pushed at Kenma’s arms but couldn’t get them to budge.

“I can’t – Kenma, I can’t, he hurt Kageyama!” Hinata cried. “He hurt Kageyama. You didn’t see him, you didn’t see how he looked – Kenma, please – “

Kenma held on tighter, pressing his face into Hinata’s back. He screwed his eyes shut and dug his fingers into the fabric of Hinata’s shirt. Hinata stopped fighting him. He let his arms drop to his side and hung his head. Kenma didn’t let go.

“Shouyou, come on,” Kenma started. “You need to get out of here.”

Kenma turned Hinata around to face him. He wanted to reach up and make him look at him, even though he already knew what would be on Hinata’s face. He was biting his lip and glaring at his shoes. He was definitely crying, and it only became more obvious when Kenma saw his tears leak down his chin. Kenma took a hold of his hand, even now still amazed at how small they were, and lead him out of Division 3.

-

They sat out in the hallway for a bit, with only Kenma holding Hinata’s hand as he sniffled and wiped away his stray tears. Kenma looked straight ahead at the wall in front of them. He ran his thumb over Hinata’s hand but said nothing. Hinata wiped his face with his forearm.

“You’ve calmed down,” Kenma said matter-of-factly. “That’s good.”

Hinata’s eyes were red and puffy, but now he was only sniffling. He let himself sag against the wall, body looking boneless as he leaned his head against Kenma’s arm. His lashes shadowed his eyes from Kenma’s angle and made him look younger than he was.

“I can’t let that them get away with hurting Kageyama,” Hinata said. “Not as an Inspector and not as his friend.”

“I know, Shouyou,” Kenma said, because he really did. “But you have to be more careful. You can’t help Tobio if they put you away, too.”

Hinata gripped Kenma by the sleeve of his jacket, twisting the fabric between his index finger and thumb as if Kenma was going to float away. His shoulders drew up to his ears as if he was planning to start crying all over again. He bent his head down until all Kenma could only see the crown of his head. The wobble in his voice gave him away.

“Will you help me, Kenma? I can’t do it without, or Division 5. I can’t let Kageyama down. You’ll help right?” Hinata said in a small voice.

“I will. We all will. We won’t let them get away with it, Shouyou,” Kenma said.

Hinata rubbed at his eyes again with his forearm. He leaned a little more against Kenma. “Can we stay here a bit longer?”

Kenma settled down a little more comfortably. “Of course.”

It was best to enjoy the peace for now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> http://shyfoxes.tumblr.com/post/118331381100/psycho-pass-au-when-im-with-you-i-dont-feel


	10. Cool for the Summer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The “we’re both sitting in our backyards by the pool/sunbathing when I sneeze and the you say “bless you” from the other side of the fence and I jump and swear because “holy shit you scared the hell out of me warn a guy” and we end up talking over the fence for hours and everyday for a week until we finally see each other and oh, hello you’re hot cute” AU.

 Kenma didn’t understand why he had to come to visit his grandparents all the way out in Miyagi. His mother had insisted it would do him some good. It was summer and “the last thing he needed was to be cooped up inside their hosue the whole time.” She had poked at his frown with her index finger and pushed one side up as she smiled.

“It’ll only be for a month,” she had said. “Be opened minded.”

Kenma had been open-minded, that he would swear. What he couldn’t be open to was the incredible heat that had accompanied his trip to his grandparents. To make it worse, his grandparents had insisted he spend as much time as he could  _outside_. He had looked between them, probably looking as distraught as he felt but they had only shook their heads and pointed to the backyard. An old kiddy pool, still pretty big all things considering, was filled up and placed under the shade of a big tree. Kenma didn’t even bother to grumble. He set his DS down on a lawn table and toed his way into the pool.

It was cold, refreshingly, almost shockingly cold, as he dipped one foot in then the other and slowly, slowly lowered himself down. The water reached up to his neck if he lounged back, but he’d be free to twist around and play with his DS over the side if he wanted to; which was exactly what he did.

Kenma had no idea how long he stayed out there, but occasionally his grandmother came out, set a glass and pitcher of a cold drink and some homemade apple pie on the lawn table, ruffled his hair, and retreated back inside. A breeze passed by and Kenma scrunched his nose. He wrinkled it trying to stave off the familiar pressure as he squeezed his eyes shut and sneezed enough to make the water jostle violently behind him.

“Bless you!” A voice called. Kenma nearly dropped his DS as he jolted in surprise, sudden fear catching his heart as he looked around. He looked towards the fence his pool was closest too and heard some faint giggling. The same voice told the other to stop squirming so much but they only giggled more.

“I – uhm – thank you,” Kenma called back, uncertain.

“You’re welcome!”The other voice said, younger, chirpier. “Do you want a tissue?”

“Natsu!” The first voice said.

Kenma sub-consciously wiped his nose with his forearm, looking down at the grass, unsure of how to respond. He bit into his lip before finally replying.

“No. I’m fine, thank you,” Kenma said.

“Okay!” Natsu said. She continued to giggle as the first voice squawked and the inevitable sound of running and playing was heard from the other side. A tiny, excited screech made Kenma jolt again and then the sound of giggle, as if someone was being tickled was heard.

“Brother! N-No more!” Natsu squealed.

“I’m not Brother!” The first voice said. “I’m the tickle monster!”

Natsu screeched again, making Kenma look up, hearing the rapid sound of feet scurrying around and the slam of a glass door. The tickle monster was breathing heavily from what he assumed was the back porch.

“Jeez,” He said. “Where does she get all that energy?”

Kenma was surprised to find that he was half tempted to reply. He didn’t, though. The glass door opened again and the boy slipped inside, calling for Natsu and asking if she wanted any ice cream. Kenma mused that she was probably yelling an enthusiastic yes as the door slid shut.

He set his DS down, having paused it mid fight and slid down into the pool. He slid until he was completely submerged and on his back. He watched air bubbles float to the surface and wondered if every day for the month would go like this.

-

The next day Kenma was simply lying on his belly in the tire swing, letting it faintly sway as he let himself hang down, bored out of his mind. He’d already beaten his game. He could very well play it again, but he’d been too restless and bored to do so. After pacing a bit inside he grandfather had tugged at his wrist and then pushed him out the door into the backyard. His grandparents didn’t seem to realize he was already 15 and not 10, but whatever.

Kuroo was away at a cousin’s house with Bokuto, being packed up with food and spending days on the beach playing volleyball. He texted Kenma rather often but most of it was choppy and full of typos, probably from fighting over the phone or whatnot with Bokuto. Kenma could only guess. He sighed instead.

“Hey! Are you still here?” Natsu called. “Do you need a tissue  _now_?”

“Natsu!” Her brother hissed. “Please!”

“I’m just being polite!” She said to him, huffing.

Kenma couldn’t help but smile at that, regardless. He stretched up, slipping out of the tired. He glanced at the fence, imagining that the little girl, no more than maybe 4 or 5 by the sound of it, was eagerly awaiting his response. He wondered how often she wore her brother out, if he was burying his face in his hands out of mortification. Even Bokuto, as bold and uncaring of what he did, was no stranger to the embarrassment of younger siblings. But then Bokuto had a truck load of siblings.

“No, I’m still good, thank you,” He said.

“Okay! But if you need it, you should ask!” Natsu said.

“I’m sure he has tissues in his own house,” her brother muttered. Natsu made a sound like she was sticking her tongue out.

“Stupid Shouyou! You’re just mad that I’m more polite than you!”

“Not even!” Shouyou replied. “I’m sorry about my sister!”

“It’s not a problem,” Kenma called back softly. “…Really.”

“Are you sure? Sometimes she just butts into things – “

“No I don’t!”

“You do! Shhh, Natsu!”

Kenma couldn’t hide his laugh. He shoved a hand over his mouth, a faint panic coursing through him as he waited for one of them to respond, for Shouyou to get mad at him for laughing at him, something. Shouyou only laughed, a light chuckle that made relief flood through Kenma. Kenma had to stamp down the thought that it was kind of a nice sound before it fully bubbled inside his head. He didn’t even know what this guy looked like, much less how old he was.

“Hey!” Natsu called again. “I didn’t know anyone but Mr. and Mrs. Kozume lived next door, who are you?”

“Natsu! That’s not polite at all!”

“Kozume…Kenma,” Kenma called back. He ground his teeth together. Why was he getting so loose with information? But then, how much could it hurt to speak to a little kid? He was sure his brain would tell him all the  _wonderful_  possibilities later tonight. He dreaded it.

“Kenma? Kenma! That’s a pretty name! I’m Natsu.”

Kenma nodded though she couldn’t see; “I know.”

“My big brother’s name is Shouyou!”

Shouyou groaned somewhere next to her, forcing a smile from Kenma. She squealed indignantly, demanding to be put down as Shouyou hoisted her up and they began to spin. He said something about Natsu being too free for her own good.

“I’ve heard,” Kenma replied instead. It sounded as if Natsu was back on earth but he could feel the sheepishness even through the board fence, something he was familiar with.

“Sorry again,” Shouyou said. “She’s just really nice, you know?”

He did, he supposed. “It’s not a problem,” Kenma assured. “I haven’t been doing anything anyway.”

“Really? Because I thought I heard you playing Monster Hunter yesterday!”

Kenma blinked, “You play?”

“Of course!”

Kenma spent the rest of the day with his back pressed to the side of the fence as Shouyou rambled on about the game with Kenma occasionally chiming in. He didn’t realize how long he’d stayed out there until his grandmother and Shouyou’s mother had begun calling them in for dinner. Shouyou knocked a fist to the wood board, right near Kenma’s back.

“Talk to you tomorrow, Kenma!”

“You, too…Shouyou.”

-

“…Natsu lost a tooth last night!” Was the first thing Shouyou said by way of greeting.  “She cried at first because she was afraid she had done something wrong because she’s been trying to ‘restick’ the tooth back. But she woke up this morning with a flower under her pillow, so I think she’s good.”

“The tooth fairy didn’t leave money behind?” Kenma asked.

There was that sheepish feeling again as Shouyou laughed a bit, head knocking on the fence as he leaned back. Kenma straightened up. He settled his hands into his lap, trying to stave off the bubbly feeling inside of him. How could two people he hadn’t even seen be so cute?

“The, uh, tooth fairy didn’t have any change on hand while his paren – um, bosses, were out running errands,” Shouyou said.

“Ahh, I see,” Kenma said.

“Are, uh, Mr. And Mrs. Kozume your grandparents?” Shouyou said. “They mention a grandson sometimes to my mom but they only have baby pictures to show her.”

Kenma groaned, already picturing both of his grandparents pulling out their wallets and purses and flipping to one of his baby pictures, probably the nude ones, why were there so many nude ones, and bragging about him to random passersby. Shouyou laughed just the same, no maliciousness present in it. It was strange how comfortable he was getting just after two days. His phone vibrated in his pocket, Kuroo more than likely, but didn’t reach for it.

“Don’t mind, don’t mind! They were telling us how happy they were you were coming, actually! Every day when I went to get the mail with Natsu your granny would say, ‘Just a few more days until my grandson comes!’ My mom thought it was cute.”

Kenma didn’t know how to reply. He only squirmed, feeling his face heat up. He looked down at his feet, wiggling his toes absently.

“I think they really missed you. You live really far, I think they said?”

“Yeah.Tokyo.”

“Really? Woah! So you’ve seen the Sky Tree or the Tokyo Tower??” Shouyou said, voice growing louder.

“A few times, yeah,” Kenma replied.

“That’s so cool!!” Shouyou said. “I hope I can take Natsu one day, I think she’d really enjoy it.”

“You’re a good big brother,” Kenma admitted.

“You think so? Haha, she’s a bit mad at me right now, though. I ate her cereal.”

“Maybe you’re not such a good big brother,” Kenma muttered, hoping Shouyou had caught his joking tone. Shouyou only laughed harder.

-

 ** _< <There’s this boy next door that has a cute little sister that’s always offering me tissues>>_** Kenma typed out on the fourth day.

_Kuroo: **< <Did you get sick again? Jeez, I can’t let you out of my sight ever>>**_

_Kuroo: **< <Bokuto says hi by the way>>**_

_Kenma: **< <Tell him Hi back. I’m not sick. It was just a sneeze>>**_

_Kuroo: **< <So tell me about the boy. You about to experience your first summer fling, eh Kenmaaa?>>**_

_Kuroo: **< <KENMA DON’T GET SICK. WHO’S GONNA SET FOR ME WHEN I GO VISIT KUROO>>**_

_Kenma: **< <Please stop yelling>>**_

_Kenma: **< <I don’t know anything about him. We talk through the fence.>>**_

_Kuroo: **< <Huh. Well, be careful anyway. You’re out in the boonies. They might snatch you away and I’m too far to come get you>>**_

_Kenma: **< <You’d find a way.>>**_

_Kuroo: **< <Damn straight.>>**_

He listened as the back door to Shouyou’s yard opened; the quick slide of the door and the slight slam of it to the wall as Natsu bounded out singing a tune from a popular children’s show that was always on in the background when Bokuto called Kuroo. Shouyou seemed to stumble out, calling out for his sister as she told him to hurry up and fill up her kiddy pool. Shouyou groaned and headed over to the faucet at the corner of the house. Then he seemed to pad over to the fence in that exaggerated quiet way of his that was never ever quiet at all.

“Psst, Kenma, are you there?” He asked in a stage whisper.

“I’m here, Shouyou,” Kenma answered. “What’s up?”

“Just give me a few minutes to get Natsu all set up and we’ll play, okay? I’ll totally beat you this time!”

“Shooouyouu,” Natsu called. “The water’s not coming out of the hose! And my shark is getting floppy!”

“I’m  _coming_!” Shouyou called, with a mock exaggerated sigh.

Kenma snickered to himself, listening to the squeak of the faucet and Natsu’s squeal of surprise. Shouyou knocked on the fence again, suspiciously close to where Kenma’s head was as he pressed into the fence to try and be a bit more private.

“I’m glad I have someone to talk to so much this summer,” he said. “I’m kind of really glad I met you.”

Kenma’s “Me, too” was lost in Shouyou’s abrupt shout as a cold spray of water drenched him, beating noisily against the fence and drizzled over on Kenma’s head. The sound of squeals and laughter made Kenma stumble back from his spot by the fence to watch a brief rainbow shine over head from where the spray of the hose was arching. He snapped a quick picture and sent it to Kuroo.

-

The fifth day was met with Kenma unfortunately bundled up out of the house by his grandparents to go grocery shopping. He’d told Shouyou as much in passing as he waited for his grandparents to finish clearing up the table. He glanced through the glass door as his grandfather pecked his grandmother on her cheek and she smiled secretly at him as he disappeared down the hall. Kenma listened to the faint sounds of Natsu playing with her dolls, something about a big tournament and a fancy dress ball.

“Do you think you’ll be back soon?” Shouyou asked, voice small.

Kenma nodded his head, forgetting for a moment that Shouyou couldn’t see. He pressed a hand to the fence just the same.

“We shouldn’t be out too long. Granny says that I’ve been eating too much of her apple pies too quickly. So she wants me to come with her to stock up on supplies. Gramps is planning on bragging to his friends, I think. But maybe two-three hours?”

“Natsu will be going down for a nap by then anyway,” Shouyou said thoughtfully. “I, uh, kind of got used to this, you know?”

“I know,” Kenma hummed. “But…it gives you time to not suck when I come back to kick your butt.”

“You won’t!” Shouyou squawked, indignant. “That was a fluke! A fluke! I’ll definitely beat you this time!”

“Then, I’ll look forward to our rematch,” Kenma said.

Shouyou huffed but agreed. He seemed to hesitate a moment but spoke up again, “Uhm, see you soon, Kenma.”

“See you soon, Shouyou.”

-

By Saturday, Kenma had felt as if he’d somehow become wrapped around both siblings’ fingers. What was more interesting was the fact that he hadn’t even seemed to care. Well, up until they’d made him play catch from over the fence. Natsu had proposed it first, said it in that sweet, demanding way that only kids could, and then had tossed the ball up as high as she could so he could faintly see the red ball and the faded cartoon character printed on it.

“Kenma, Kenma, toss it back!” Natsu called.

The Iittle red ball came over the fence, and Kenma dove for it. He received it with his forearms and watched as it effortlessly went back over the fence. He could hear the thud of it on the other side as Shouyou grumbled.

“You’re just lucky I can’t see you. Otherwise you’d never stand a chance,” he said.

The ball came over again with a bit more force and far off to the left. Kenma ran just the same, thinking wryly that Kuroo would have laughed his ass off at the thought of Kenma willingly running back and forth this much. The caught it with his fingers, bent his arms back and then let it fly back over.

“HAH!” Shouyou exclaimed as the red ball flew back into the air. Kenma tensed, waiting for it to sail over, only for it to fall straight back down on Shouyou’s head with a slight hollow bounce.

“I – meant to do that!” He said embarrassment clear in his voice.

“That’s another point for Kenma, brother,” Natsu said. “It’s still 10 to nothing.”

“I’m going easy on him,” Shouyou defended.

Kenma shook his head and planted his feet to get ready for the next pass. Shouyou exhaled loudly, and the ball flew up, he could see the faint tips of something bright from over the fence and then a hand slamming down on its surface. It whizzed by Kenma’s head and kept rolling until it hit the small fence around his grandmother’s garden.

“Kenma? Kenma!” Shouyou called. “Ha! You see! I can score! Erase the zero and put one!”

Kenma stared at the ball before he finally decided to move. It made him squirm with how much Shouyou could surprise him with little things, how much it made him wonder if Shouyou could play volleyball and the endless scenarios of playing against a faceless, blank but inevitably bright and excitable figure. It made his hands tingle and he tossed the ball up before slamming it back over himself.

Shouyou hadn’t mentioned anything about volleyball but once or twice he’d seen a volleyball being tossed up in the yard but said nothing partially out of a need to distance himself from it for a bit since he was so far from home and Kuroo. But the feeling was back and he doubted it’d leave him anytime soon again.

He’d text Kuroo later, he’d tell him. For now, he was strangely fired up and he wasn’t about to lose. Kuroo wasn’t going to be surprised.

-

Sunday rolled in, hotter than the rest of the days and with not a single cloud in the sky. Kenma had debated simply staying inside but rountine had had him walking out into the backyard just the same, without any prompting, either. He flopped unhappily under a tree, shaking the collar of his shirt to try and get a bit of air to flow between the already sweat stained fabric and his belly. He settled himself in anyway, waiting for Shouyou and turned on his DS. Shouyou knocked on the board and Kenma softly knocked back.

“Kenma! I have an extra Pocari Sweat, do you want one?” Shouyou yelled over the fence.

Kenma blinked up from his DS, too used to everything by now, and finding he couldn’t care less how only after a week he’d come to accept the shouting over the fence or the amicable calling of his name so easily. It’d taken forever to acclimate to his teammates back in Tokyo. He briefly wondered why Shouyou had bothered to take two cans of Pocari out in the first place but let it slide, attributing to simply being accustomed to bringing two out every day for the past week because Natsu was glued to his side.

“Yes, I wouldn’t mind one. Hang on, I’ll get the step ladder from my grandma’s garden –“ Kenma started.

“No need! I’ll jump!” Shouyou replied cheerily.

“Jump?” Kenma muttered. When he turned around, a bright head of orange was  rising up over the side of the fence, Shouyou’s arm raised high as he held onto the can and his face came into view. Kenma froze, blinking rapidly as Shouyou’s face also morphed into one of disbelief, his mouth dropping open. Shouyou’s eyes flew wide and then he was falling back to the ground with a loud thud and groan. Kenma pressed up against the fence in panic, uncaring that his DS had slid off from his belly into the grass.  

“Sh-Shouyou, are you okay?” Kenma called. He couldn’t even tell what was more surprising; how Shouyou looked, or the fact that he just jumped high enough to peek over a six foot fence seemingly without any aid.

“I-I’m fine! I just landed badly!” Shouyou said. He stuttered something silly before he could finally form words. “Though, uhm, I didn’t expect you to be so – cute, Kenma.”

“I should be saying that to you,” Kenma blurted before groaning and burying his head in his hands. He hadn’t meant to say that out loud.

Something scratched against the fence and Shouyou groaned with effort as Kenma saw the peeks of his orange hair again. He hefted himself up until his chin was resting on the flat part of the top of the board and the hand holding the can was hanging over onto Kenma’s side. His face was dusted red and his eyes were still wide, black lashes thick around big brown eyes. Kenma reached up on his toes to take the can, brushing their fingertips together as Shouyou exhaled loudly.

“Do – do you want to come over, Kenma?” Shouyou said. “My mom and sister are out for the day. She’s going to a birthday party and I’m kind of alone over here.”

“Depends,” Kenma heard himself saying, though a smile was threatening to break out the way his insides were fizzing. “Do you have a Wii?”

Shouyou nodded quickly even as his feet scratched at the wooden boards on his side for purchase. Kenma looked down at his drink, the condensation and cold freezing up his hands as he smiled behind his dyed fringes. He peeked up at Shouyou, taking a bit of joy in how a smile was beginning to stretch widely on his face.

“I do. So…are you coming?” Shouyou asked. “I can pull you over the fence!”

“I’d love to,” Kenma said, laughing lightly to himself. “But I think it’s best if I use the front door.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> http://shyfoxes.tumblr.com/post/120368876263/the-were-both-sitting-in-our-backyards-by


	11. KenHina Week - Day 1 - Seifuku

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Getting Hinata to try on the Nekoma girls’ uniform was the biggest mistake.

Kenma was mildly impressed by how easy it was to get Hinata in the Nekoma girls’ uniform. It had been a gag gift from Kuroo when he’d been a first year, and Kenma had simply been too lazy to get rid of it. It’d been sitting at the back of his closet completely unused. He’d contemplated wearing a few times for the heck of it, but he’d always gotten distracted by something or other. Hinata was ducking around his room, strangely intrigued by his possessions and not in the least turned off by the terrible mess. Kenma hadn’t thought much when Hinata had poked himself into his closet. (Though Kenma had a faint fear that Hinata would never be able to resurface. How would he explain that to Hinata’s parents?)

 

“Kenma?” Hinata had asked. “Why do you have a girl’s uniform in your closet?”

The thought had spiraled instantly into Kenma’s mind, of Hinata in the uniform. He was only a little bit bigger than Hinata, it should fit him just fine. The skirt would fall around his thighs, jacket snug around his torso.  Kenma stared hard at his game for a moment, thinking over his answer, and tried, honestly he did, to push away the thought of Hinata in the uniform.

“Kuroo gave it to me. It was a – prank,” Kenma said.

A moment of silence stretched as Hinata gladly accepted the answer and began to smooth down the uniform, prepared to put it back. Kenma glanced at Hinata.

“You should try it on, Shouyou,” Kenma said. “I think you’d look good in it.”

“You think so?” Hinata said, not missing a beat. “You’re not going to laugh, are you?”

“Of course not,” Kenma said. 

“All right, then,” Hinata said, and shimmied out of his shirt.

Hinata threw his shirt back where it landed on Kenma’s head, followed by his pants, until Kenma was draped in his clothes. Hinata slid up the skirt, zipping it up and twirling as it flowed around his knees. The sleeves were a little short on his upper arms, Kenma noticed, as he started to stuff the shirt into his skirt. Hinata left the school jacket on the hanger to slide on the vest over the blouse. Kenma could feel his stomach bubbling as he forced himself to concentrate on his game. He’d died about four times in the last couple minutes as Hinata sang some silly song behind him. Kenma rubbed at his neck, and could almost feel the blush traveling up his neck to the tip of his nose. Hinata held up the bow at Kenma, who was finally removing Hinata’s pants from over his shoulder.

“Kenma, can you help me tie this?”

Kenma motioned to him with his hand, breath hitching quietly as Hinata settling on his lap, facing him. Hinata’s knees came to frame Kenma’s hips as Hinata placed his hands in the pool of his skirt in his lap. Like this, he could feel Hinata’s warm breath, and the hint of the peppermint candy he’d given him an hour ago. Kenma’s finger shook as he looped the bow around Hinata’s neck, under the shirt collar. He secured it on the second button and tied it into a perfect bow. Kenma’s hand settled on Hinata’s stomach, sliding down to rest on his thighs then to the ground behind him to support the both of them. Hinata tugged at the bow, impressed.

“You sure you haven’t worn this before?” Hinata said.

“I’m sure. You look better in it anyway,” Kenma replied.

“Yeah? Maybe I’ll ask Yachi-chan for one of her old uniforms, too.”

Kenma wondered if he could steal Yachi’s number out of Hinata’s phone just to conspire with her to get Hinata in more girls’ clothes. He’d think harder about it later when he’d gotten Hinata wrapped up in his blanket, fast asleep. Kenma’s hand rested on Hinata’s shin, rubbing against the fuzz of his leg hair to rest on his knee. Kenma hummed as Hinata took Kenma’s DS and clicked away.

“We’ll get you stockings the next time we go out. Maybe a hairclip, too,” Kenma said absently as he looked at the screen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> http://shyfoxes.tumblr.com/post/99621453493/kenhina-week-day-1-seifuku


	12. KenHina Week - Day 2 - Sweaters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kenma’s sweater is big enough to fit two people. Which doesn’t mean they should actually try to fit two people in it.

Where Kenma had originally gotten the sweater, no one, even Kenma, or Kuroo for that fact that apparently had a good head for obscure trivia, seemed to know. Either way, it’s a big sweater; a red one that’s faded with years of washing that reaches all the way to Kenma’s knees. It disappears for the majority of the year until the chill of fall rolls around and Kenma begins to complain about “winter being too cold”. It’s big enough for Kenma to slip his arms into and lay on his side and look like he’s a little pudding headed burrito. It’s big enough, Hinata also finds out, for Kenma’s cat to also fit, curled on his side as well inside the sweater with Kenma. (Hinata finds out when a mishap involving him trying to cuddle Kenma ends up with a suspiciously peeved off yowl and an even more suspicious furiously moving lump clawing its way out to glare indignantly at Hinata makes itself known.) Hinata ends up sleeping on the other side of the bed as the cat stakes his claim to Kenma’s side as “fair compensation”.

The idea hatches itself in Hinata’s head when the cat is busy sunning himself on back of the couch by the window and Kenma is on his side, playing his DS. He’s looking mildly annoyed, so Hinata figures he’s in a boss battle and waits until the little furrow between his brows smooths again before making his move.

“Shouyou,” Kenma says. There’s a slight hesitation in his voice, obviously a big perturbed with Hinata’s not-so-secret staring. “Is there something on your mind?”

Hinata puts on his best smile as he slides across the bed to lie on his side before Kenma and peek over the top of his DS at him. Kenma tries to force down his own smile as Hinata wiggles his eyebrows. Kenma beats the boss with barely any problems, as a cut scene begins to play.

“Nothing, I was just thinking is all,” Hinata says.

Kenma seems okay with the answer, as far as Hinata can tell. Kenma, for one, knows it’s a little better to just take Hinata’s word for “thinking is all”, after years of hearing some rather highly imaginative things Hinata’s come up with. (The Lucifer Dogfish always takes the cake to this day).  Kenma hums, stretching a bit until his back cracks and he’s tapping again to get his character moving.

Hinata crawls down to Kenma’s feet, glances at him and then puffs his cheeks out in a dramatic show of holding his breath. He lifts up the hem of Kenma’s sweater and pokes his head in.

“Shouyou –“ Kenma says.

Kenma jolts back as Hinata’s hair comes to tickle him. Then he can feel Hinata’s nose pressing flatly against his stomach and traveling up. Kenma bites into his lower lip, trying not to laugh as Hinata squirms his way up and traps his arms between their bodies, and shoves his legs between Kenma’s. Hinata pokes his head out, big brown eyes blinking up at him from the end of his nose. Hinata’s eyes are crinkled at the corners. Kenma can clearly visualize the smile Hinata must be wearing without even properly seeing it.

“When I said it was ‘probably’ big enough for two people, I didn’t really mean we should try it,” Kenma says.

“True, but now we know. Quick get a picture. We can make it out Christmas card. Imagine Kageyama’s face,” Hinata says.

Kenma rolls his eyes but reaches over, briefly squishing Hinata’s face as he does so, to grab his phone on the bed. Hinata jams his face as best he can next to Kenma’s, letting him feel the rise of his cheeks as he smiles his biggest, and brightest and shutter sound clicks about three times. Kenma rolls onto his back, grunting as Hinata tries to lie down on him, and he brings up the photos on the phone. The first one is a blurry mess, with just their hair and a flash of teeth; the next two are nicer, though they look beyond silly in them.

Hinata presses his nose into Kenma’s neck and scrunches it up a few times just to make Kenma squirm. Kenma drops his phone back on the bed and wraps his arms around Hinata and squeezes. Hinata who gives off heat like a sidewalk in summer, makes the sweater only that much cozier, until even Kenma’s toes seem to feel a bit warmer. It’s nice for a while, wrapping himself around Hinata, feeling warm, and nearly dozing back off.

“Kenma,” Hinata says. “I have to go to the bathroom.”

It’s not so nice anymore because Hinata refuses to come out of the sweater to get to the bathroom because he’s too warm, and makes Kenma hobble there with him until he finally frees himself. Kenma just rolls his eyes and resolves to get another blanket from the hall closet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> http://shyfoxes.tumblr.com/post/99704067658/kenhina-week-day-2-sweaters


	13. KenHina Week - Day 3 - Weather

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hinata comes home soaked from the rain, much to Kenma’s frustration.

Kenma grumbled, rubbing the towel harder against Hinata’s head than was necessary. Stupid Shouyou, stupid, impulsive Shouyou who thought it was appropriate to race Kageyama in the rain, and have some weird competition about jumping puddles. Stupid, impulsive Shouyou who only won by a small margin but ended up face planting into a puddle and getting soaked straight through his jacket.

“Kenma,” Hinata whined. “You’re rubbing too hard!”

“Don’t yell,” Kenma said. “I’m right next to you.”

“You’re gonna rip my hair out.”

Kenma smothered him with the towel, taking slight delight in making him sputter. Kenma adjusted the other towel around Hinata’s shoulders securely as he sat back on the toilet and huffed. He tossed Hinata a spare shirt.

“That’s what you get for being stupid,” Kenma said. “If you caught a cold, we’d never hear the end of it from the coach.”

Hinata slipped on Kenma’s shirt, looking mildly disgruntled that Kenma’s shirt was seemingly bigger than his own. He rubbed at his scalp, indignant.

“I wouldn’t have gotten sick, I never get sick, you know,” Hinata said.

“You always say that, and then you get sick,” Kenma said, scoffing lightly.

Hinata pattered out of the bathroom after Kenma, twisting his hands in the fabric of the shirt, as Kenma headed to the kitchen. He took the cup of tea Kenma offered him and followed him back to the living room.  They sit in silence, with only the TV on a channel neither of them really care for playing between them. Hinata sticks his big toe into the side of Kenma’s leg.

“Shouyou,” Kenma said. “Stop. Your feet are cold.”

Hinata poked him again, and again, until Kenma’s brows furrowed and he was glancing at him from the corner of his eyes. Hinata set his cup down and pressed the entirety of the bottom of his foot to Kenma’s leg. Kenma jumped back, drawing his legs up under him and shot a withering look at Hinata. Hinata crawled over, dropping heavily across Kenma’s lap. Kenma grumbled something under his breath but didn’t push him off. His hand hovered over Hinata’s back.

“The least you could do is stroke my hair, you know,” Hinata said. “To make up for nearly killing me with the towel.”

“You’re being dramatic,” Kenma said dryly.

Nevertheless, he brought his fingers into Hinata’s hair and stroked. Hinata pressed his face into Kenma’s stomach, and curled up against him until his knees rested against Kenma’s side. Kenma brushed his bangs out of his eyes, stroking across his temple to the base of his skull.

“If it makes you feel better,” Hinata started. “Kageyama is probably getting chewed out by Suga-san, too.”

“Serves you both right,” Kenma said. He tried to smooth down the mass of Hinata’s ginger hair in a slow, calm sweep that made Hinata’s toes curl into his back, through the thin fabric of his shirt. “You’re toes are still cold, stop that.”

Hinata only let out a muffled whine against Kenma’s lap.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> http://shyfoxes.tumblr.com/post/99871991803/kenhina-week-day-3-weather


	14. KenHina Week - Day 4 - Shoujo Cliche

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> To get Kuroo off her back, Kenma tells her that she’s dating Hinata

Kenma quickly grabbed Hinata’s hand, lacing their fingers together as she gave a withering look towards Kuroo. Kuroo raised a brow, looking between them, something akin to surprise and “I knew it!” written on her face. Kenma frowned, cocking her head to the side as she kept her gaze locked with Kuroo’s.

“Shouko and I are dating,” Kenma said.

“Since when?” Kuroo said.

“Since last week,” Kenma said. She turned to Hinata, eyebrows furrowed as she tried to mentally convey her message into Hinata’s head. ‘ _Please just go with it, I need to get Kuroo off my back.’_  Hinata made a sound that might have been ‘ _eep_ ’ as she subtly nodded at Kenma. “Right, Shouko?”

Hinata looked back at Kuroo, palm suddenly sweaty in Kenma’s grasp as she hesitantly smiled up at Kuroo. Hinata smoothed down the back of her unruly hair, and shifted on her feet under Kuroo’s gaze, feeling like she was trapped between two claws. Kuroo dug her knuckles into her hips as she eyed Hinata, and Hinata babbled an affirmative that yes, she and Kenma had been indeed dating for the past week. Kuroo swiped at Hinata’s nose.  An affectionate, yet sly curve came to her smile as she looked between them.

“Well, congratulations, then,” Kuroo said. “I always knew you two would get together. With the way Kenma  _moons_  over you and all – “

“I do not moon over Shouko, Kuroo,” Kenma said.

“You do,” Kuroo said. “You just don’t see yourself. There are sparkles and rainbows and everything. Like the time Shou-chan first tried on her uniform, and you walked into Tora because you were too busy watching her, or when she let you share half her bento that one time –“

“Go  _away_ , Kuroo,” Kenma said.

“All right, all right,” Kuroo said, raising her hands up. “Excuse me if I’m happy my best friend got with the girl she’s been crushing on since forever.”

Kenma tugged Hinata along to go behind the gym to finish eating their lunch. Hinata looked over her shoulder at Kuroo who only waved with that same, knowing, sly look. Hinata quickened her steps to keep pace with Kenma, squeezing her hand.

“What now?” Hinata whispered.

Kenma furrowed her brows, looking briefly over her shoulder as if expecting Kuroo to materialize behind them. Kenma grumbled something under her breath.

“Let’s just keeping pretending for a little while until I figure it out,” Kenma said

-

“I can’t believe you’re dating Hinata,” Yamamoto said.

Her expression looked incredulous as if she couldn’t understand the appeal Shouko had, probably because she was so loud and overwhelming. Kenma snorted, looking over her DS at Yamamoto, trying to hold back a dry smile.

“I can’t believe you’re dating Tanaka-san from Karasuno,” Kenma said.

Yamamoto squawked; face flaming as she stomped past Yaku and into the locker rooms with a grumble. Yaku shook her head before stopping before Kenma and jamming her thumb towards the locker room. Yaku smiled secretly, though, and it set Kenma a bit on edge.

“You should go get changed, too, Kenma” Yaku said. “Also congrats. I know you’ve liked Hinata for a long time.”

Kenma groaned, pressing her face into her DS. So everyone but Shouko seemed to know she liked her. She peeked up at Yaku, debating on spilling the truth or not. Yaku could keep a secret, that much Kenma was sure of, but the chiding Yaku would give her wasn’t worth it, especially if Kuroo happened to walk in at the wrong time and hear it.

“Thanks. I guess,” Kenma muttered.

-

“I don’t really know what girlfriends do for each other, so I asked Yachi-chan,” Hinata said. “I made you a bento!”

Kenma accepted the bento, staring at it as Hinata sat down next to her and dug in to her lunch. Kenma glanced at Hinata, at the bunny hairpin she had given her because she’d won it in a prize token machine and hadn’t felt it her style, at the rice smeared on Hinata’s cheeks, and at Hinata’s fingers, remembering how warm and perfect they felt melded with hers. Kenma ate silently, chiding herself for being so impulsive and getting into this situation.

“Shouko. Don’t you – mind this at all?” Kenma said. “Fake dating, I mean.”

“Not really,” Hinata said. “You really surprised me when you kind of sprung it on me in front of Kuroo. You know I’m not that good at lying, and I was sure she woulda figure it out. But if it’s you, it’s okay.”

“It’s okay if it’s me?” Kenma repeated quietly.

“Well, yeah. If I had to choose someone to date, it’d definitely be you.”

Kenma turned away, trying to will away her blush as she listened to Hinata’s chopsticks hit the container and see her feet kicking from the corner of her eye. And to think, she was agonizing that Hinata was carrying something for Yachi or Kageyama from her old school. Kenma silently ate.

“Did you make this?”

“Not completely, Natsu and mom helped. What do you think?”

Kenma took another bite, speaking around her chopsticks and still refusing to look over at Hinata. “It’s really good.”

-

“How long are you going to keep this up?” Kuroo said.

Kuroo turned over on her belly on Kenma’s bed, looking at her critically as Kenma changed out of her uniform. Kenma stiffened, looking over her shoulder at Kuroo, momentarily surprised before clicking her tongue in annoyance. She threw one of her stuffed animals at Kuroo’s head and then collapsed on the bed next to her.

“If you knew this whole time why didn’t you say something and let me avoid embarrassing myself?” Kenma said.

“I was hoping you’d finally work up the courage to tell Hinata,” Kuroo said. “You two are so obvious, it

s painful.”

“What two? It’s only me.”

“No, it’s definitely both of you, and it’s annoying to watch. Just kiss her and say, “I really like you” Hinata’s kind of an idiot, you have to spell it out for her.”

Kenma rolled over on her side, grumbling under her breath. She covered her eyes with her forearm, mumbling, but sure Kuroo could hear her. Kuroo propped herself up on her elbows.

“I’m afraid of rejection.”

“Trust me. The last thing you’ll get is rejection, I’m sure.”

-

Hinata was waiting outside of her classroom when it was lunch time. She looked uncertain and nervous out in the hall by herself. But a smile split across her face when Kenma poked her head out and greeted her quietly. Hinata made a quick grab for Kenma’s hand and tugged her along to go eat behind the gym. The trip down the stairs as she still held Hinata’s hand was Kenma squirmy and impulsive. She felt as if she’d blurt out something embarrassing at any moment if she didn’t keep herself in check. Kenma traced the outline of Hinata’s small back, at the flop of hair falling at the back of her neck, and resisted the urge to bury her face there. When they’d gotten a few feet from their destination, Kenma stopped.

“Kenma? You okay?” Hinata said.

“Shouko. Listen,” Kenma started.

Kenma let go of Hinata’s hands and stared down at their shoes. Her heart was in her throat, and she could feel it beating incessantly right in her ears. Hinata called her name again, reaching out for her before Kenma shook her head. If Hinata touched her again, she might chicken out. She looked up at Hinata, frowning.

“I really like you,” Kenma said. “Even before we started fake dating to trick Kuroo.”

Hinata’s eyes widened, as she let her hands fall back to her sides. Hinata’s face colored a light pink, as she let herself smile, wobbly. Launching herself at Kenma, dropping their lunch, Hinata enveloped her in a hug. Holding her far enough to press their foreheads together Hinata giggled.

“I’ve liked you, too,” Hinata said. “A lot.”

Hinata squirmed, reaching for Kenma’s hand. She looked up at Kenma, expectant.

“So, are we for real dating now?”

Kenma closed the distance and firmly held Hinata’s hand in her’s. “Yes. We are.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> http://shyfoxes.tumblr.com/post/100035166133/kenhina-week-day-4-shoujo-cliche


	15. KenHina Week - Day 5 - AU

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kenma rubbed his eyes, and then rubbed them again. There was no way Hinata’s wings were real.

 Hinata looked intently at Kenma, front teeth jabbing at his lower lip. He squirmed which made Kenma know that he wanted to say something, but wasn’t sure he if should, or how to do so. Kenma waited patiently, content to simply laying across Hinata’s bed as Hinata mulled over his decision. Kenma opened his mouth, ready to tell him that he shouldn’t agonize so much, to wait until he’s ready (whatever it is that is on his mind). But Hinata beat him to it. He laid his hand on Kenma’s wrist, smiling small and hesitant.

“I want to show you something,” Hinata said. “But, please don’t freak out.”

“You’ve done some pretty weird things before. I don’t think you can do anything that will freak me out,” Kenma said.

Hinata tried to smile again, wry, as he put his hands to the hem of his shirt and began to lift it off. He muttered, “Well, I hope you keep that thought”, as he threw aside his shirt on the floor. He exhaled slowly before turning around. He looked over his shoulder.

“Watch closely okay?”

Kenma stared at the small expanse of Hinata’s back. He had a few beauty marks dotted here and there, and the way he was hunched over Kenma could see his shoulder blades and the knobs of his spines. Hinata’s shoulder blades seemed to move, oddly. Hinata fidgeted his shoulders, grunting, as a weird, wet sound suddenly greeted Kenma’s ears. He blinked and then there were tuffs of black and gray emerging from Hinata’s back.

“Kenma?”

“Still here, Shouyou,” Kenma whispered.

“Don’t move okay?”

“O – kay…”

The tuffs of black grew, sprouting out, longer and upward. Hinata made a faint pained noise as something brushed past Kenma’s cheek. On either side of his head and his shoulders, Kenma was surrounded by large, black feathers. Closer to Hinata’s shoulder blades were gray feathers, quivering as Hinata exhaled again. Kenma rubbed his eyes, and then he rubbed them again. There was no way this was real. There was no way Hinata’s wings were real.  Hinata looked back at him over his shoulder, peeking shyly.

“Uh, what do you think?” Hinata said, meek.

“Shouyou, you – you, you have  _wings_ ,” Kenma said. “How - ?”

Hinata’s expression seemed to droop sheepishly, as did his wings around Kenma. They quivered again as Hinata looked up at him. He was smiling, though still hesitant, and it made Kenma’s heart warm inexplicably.

“I’m a, uh, crow tengu,” Hinata said. “Well  _half.”_

Kenma reached out and then stopped, looking at Shouyou. He let his hand hover as he glanced around at Hinata’s black feathers, and drank in the gentle scent of what seemed like mountain trees and air faintly coming from them. He smiled as reassuringly as he could.

“Do you mind if I touch them?”

“You mean you want to?”

“Yes, if don’t mind?”

Hinata nodded quickly, turning back to face the wall as he held his breath. Kenma reached forward slowly, starting with a slow caress on Hinata’s back. He traced his fingers over to the gray feathers near his shoulder blades, feeling across them as they grew in side and darkened in color. He ran his fingers across the big, black feathers, amazed at how soft they were, but firm, strong. He could feel the bone there underneath it, imagining it to be hollow like a bird’s. Kenma peeked his face over Hinata’s shoulder, pressing their cheeks together.

“I think I stand corrected. You surprised me again,” Kenma said, humming.

Hinata was grinning, Kenma could feel it with the way his cheek was nudged up by Hinata’s. Hinata turned a little, letting his eyelash tickle Kenma’s cheek.

“If you want, I can take you flying?”

Kenma agreed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> http://shyfoxes.tumblr.com/post/100062057117/kenhina-week-day-5-au


	16. KenHina Week - Days 6 & 7 - Touch/Free Space A

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Avatar the Last Airbender AU. 
> 
> “I finally learned the trick I saw the Small Giant doing,” Hinata said. “Wanna see?”

Kenma felt a rush of air sweeping through the fringes of his hair, and didn’t have to turn around to know Hinata was landing behind him. Leaves tumbled over him as Hinata swooped down in a whirl of air. Hinata nudged the back of Kenma’s shoulder with his head before hopping around to face Kenma.

“Kenma! Good morning.”  Hinata said.

“Morning, Shouyou,” Kenma said. He brushed a leaf on Hinata’s shoulder off as he glanced towards his friend.  “You have some in your hair still.”

“I finally learned the trick I saw the Small Giant doing,” Hinata said. “Wanna see?”

Kenma hesitated, wary of how well Hinata really had a grasp on his bending. He’d finally found a teacher to help him but still tripped over himself with or without the aid of bending. When he’d met him, he’d fallen out of a tree, barely able to fly his glider. Kenma had patched him up with a cool flow of water to his cuts and bruises, and had Hinata stuck to his side ever since. Hinata tilted his head to the side, extending his hand.

“It’s okay, I promise I have it down pat this time,” Hinata said. “Even Ukai-sensei said so.”

“Was that before or after you fell on your face?”

“Befo – After! I mean it, though, I do have it down. And if anything, you can just waterbend us back down, right? I trust you.”

Kenma sighed, and then made sure his water gourd was secured to his belt before reaching out and taking Hinata’s hand.  Kenma’s fingers tingled and he gripped Hinata’s hand a little more firmly.

“All right, then. Show me.”

-

Kenma didn’t want to see the trick anymore. He silently cursed Hinata’s childhood hero in his head as he gripped Hinata’s jacket with his fist and forced himself not to look down. Did they really need to be so high up? Hinata opened up his air glider, smiling as a gust of wind rattled it in his hands, sweeping by them. Kenma grunted, wondering if it was too late to back out.

“Okay, first, get a good grip on me,” Hinata said.

Kenma attached himself to Hinata’s side, trying to follow Hinata’s quick steps as they descended off the cliff. Kenma’s legs flailed until he wrapped them around Hinata’s and shoved his face into Hinata’s side. They lifted on the air current, almost weightless. Kenma opened his eyes against the rush of wind, to see Hinata throwing his glider aside, and swinging his arms around his head in a quick, large circle. He blinked rapidly, hearing nothing but noise of wind and the loud sound of Hinata’s laughter.  Kenma felt like he was sucked into a funnel, floating up as Hinata drifted up beside him. He took a hold of both of his hands. Kenma floated on his belly, spiraling as they rode the air current. Hinata said something Kenma only half-caught about how funny his hair looked flying around him. Hinata let his legs go over his head until he was behind Kenma. He took a hold of Kenma’s hands again, his palms pressed to the back of Kenma’s hands, fingers laced together.

“Okay, this is the best part,” Hinata said. “Now pretend you’re walking on stairs!”

With each step Hinata took, Kenma noticed, he sent a rush of air from his feet to slow their descent. Kenma tried to match his pace with Hinata’s, raising his legs in a mock-walk that would have embarrassed him if they weren’t alone together. They landed slowly, almost feather-light and flat on their feet. Hinata poked his head over Kenma’s shoulder, swinging their conjoined hands together at Kenma’s side.

“Hey, one more thing,” Hinata said. “Can you look up?”

Kenma tilted his head back, smiling lazily as he chuckled under his breath. He shifted to lean back against Hinata. Hinata had shifted the clouds to read, “Happy B-Day”. Kenma squeezed his hands, looking down at his feet with a secret smile.

“Thanks, Shouyou.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> http://shyfoxes.tumblr.com/post/100289033178/kenhina-week-days-6-7-touchfree-space


End file.
